Pillars
by Naowt
Summary: One for All. A quirk whose power was unmatched, always growing from one person to the next. Midoriya Izuku was the definition of this quirk. Through his actions, sacrifices and determination he will raise himself and others around him. Together they will become the pillars of society. The Symbols of Peace.
1. One Step Forward

It was rare she ever got to leave her office, even at her age. Being the lynchpin that held UA together was a lofty title, but it made Chiyo worry for the future. She wasn't getting any younger after all. That's why days where kids weren't being wheeled into her office with broken bones and cuts were something she treasured. It was those days she went for a nice quiet walk, away from the bustle. It did her health good as well and it was nice getting away from the smell of antiseptic.

That's why she was irked when she heard loud bangs and grunts just further up the forest path. It was a new route to her, but if this was the norm she wouldn't be coming back.

Continuing on, she considered that she could be walking into a villain operation. She would keep quiet just in case, but if the worst came around she had dozens of pro heroes on speed dial.

But instead of finding a villain operation she found a teenage boy in a stream lifting a boulder over his head. Immediately she deduced several things: Strength quirk; hyper muscle definition in line with adults in their prime, probably related to quirk; around fifteen years old.

Without effort, the boy yelled and threw the boulder away. He then went up to another one and punched it clear out the water. His knuckles were bleeding.

"Excuse me," she said, startling him. "Do you make it a habit to cause such a ruckus?"

He started stuttering and ran a hand through his damp green hair. "W-well, I, uh, nobody ever comes here so I…"

"Come over here."

The boy did as he was told, but approached slowly, putting far more effort into walking than necessary. Blood dripped from his knuckles.

"You training to be a hero, young one?"

"Not exactly…"

"Oh? So, you were demolishing the local scenery for no reason then?"

He nervously chuckled. "Well, the stream's been blocked for a while now. I thought I could kill two birds with one stone…"

There was indeed a large dam of rocks that looked to have come off the nearby hill. There were still hundreds more, but there was a steady trickle of water coming out from beneath.

"And you never thought to protect yourself?" He looked confused until she signalled to his hands. He looked at the flayed skin in shock. "Give me your hand." When she brushed his skin, he flinched back, eyes darting left and right. Strange.

"I want to tend to those wounds. If you will let me."

He cradled the hand she touched, backing up further. "I'm fine! Thank you, but I'm fine!"

His fingers twitched. She would have to coax this one out. And there she was enjoying a day without difficult patients. "If you say so, but I could have you fixed up in a jiffy. I am Recovery Girl after all."

His eyes widened. "Recovery Girl?"

"That's right. One second and you will be all fixed up. You won't notice it."

He came closer and held his hands out. She smiled and took hold of them. They tensed, but didn't curl. Chiyo channelled her quirk and gave his left a quick peck, making the skin on both hands quickly knit together, good as new. As soon as she finished and let go, he retreated again.

"Better?"

"Yeah, thanks…"

The birds tweeted overhead as a gust rustled the leaves.

"What is your name?"

"Oh, sorry! It's Midoriya Izuku, ma'am!"

"Well it's nice to meet you, Midoriya-kun." She noticed a nearby log, shuffled over to it and took a seat. Her knees were killing her. "Mind if I ask a question, Midoriya-kun?" He shook his head. "If you aren't here to train, then what is your exact purpose?"

He seemed to debate to himself, looking down at his hands. "I want… I want to control my quirk. It's… it's dangerous and I can't turn it off."

"So you thought you could wear it down?"

"Kind of. Maybe. Nothing's worked. I only ever seem to get out of breath."

A quirk without an off switch? Not uncommon, the genetic mutations made by quirks certainly couldn't be reversed, but even mutated people required effort to use their quirks. Simply keeping it 'on' wasn't an option.

"Yours is a strength quirk, I assume?"

"It is."

"Any specifics? How do your parent's quirks work?"

"Well, my mother can pull small objects, while my dad can breath fire. He's not around though."

A unique quirk then. Again, not unheard of, but it hadn't happened in a couple of generations. Unless the father wasn't who Midoriya thought it was, but she would keep those comments to herself.

"Any sensations linked to your power?"

"Sometimes it feels like electricity running through me, but I can never pin it down."

"So you have tried suppressing it then. Ever thought about simply turning it down?"

"I…" He froze, his gaze unfocused. "Can't been done. Too strong," he muttered.

"Midoriya-kun, what are you hoping to achieve?" she asked.

"Eh?"

"Your goals, dreams. What's driving you?"

"I just… I just don't want to hurt people anymore."

It had happened in the past. Whatever he did affected him at a psychological level. Like usual, she wanted to help, her inner doctor guiding her next words. "Then I shall help you, Midoriya-kun."

"Eh?! No, I couldn't! You're busy at UA!"

"That I am," she agreed, "but like today I have time off every now and then. I am sure I can figure out your quirk and how to control it. I am a doctor after all, and that makes me a scientist too."

"I don't want to be a burden…"

She smiled. "I'll find a way to work you around my schedule."

"But…" He sighed. "Okay…"

Chiyo got off the log and reached into her bag. She pulled out a syringe, which Midoriya stared at.

"What's that for?" he asked nervously.

"I want a blood sample so I can learn about your quirk. Your previous doctor seems to have neglected this."

"I'm not very good with needles…"

"Nobody is, deary. You'd be surprised by how much Power Loader screams." She flicked the syringe. "Now, come closer…"

* * *

"I'm home!" Izuku said as he took his shoes off. There was no reply, but there was a shifting glow coming from the living room. The TV was on at least. Slowly, he put his bag on top of the shoe rack and walked in. The news was on, volume low and the lamp that they had owned since forever shone in the corner.

And there, curled up on the floor, covered by a blanket, was his mother. They slept the same, he noticed, cocooned in their sheets. He smiled fondly and turned to the kitchen, finding a plate of katsudon on the counter. His stomach rumbled and he grimaced.

Carefully, he peeled the foil off the bowl and placed it into the microwave, making sure not to clang about too much. After turning it on a gentle hum filled the room, mixed with his mother's soft breaths and the whispering of the TV.

Izuku saw that All Might was in town and had taken down a slime villain by capturing him in an empty bottle. "The power of recycling!" he said in his booming voice, following it with his trademark laugh.

Izuku couldn't help but smile.

A hurried interview followed, where All Might was quick to get away. Izuku could understand that, he wouldn't want to be hounded by reporters wherever he went either. There was one thing that Izuku noticed though: steam. It seemed to be rising from his shoulders just before he dashed away. Strange. He'd have to look up the fan boards tomorrow. Tonight, he just wanted to sleep. Today had been a roller coaster.

He still felt the sting of the needle in his upper arm and he shivered at the memory of Recovery Girl's shadowed face as she raised the needle. And that _smile_. He shivered again.

A ding came from the microwave. Thankfully his mother didn't wake up.

As he dug in, he remembered how lucky he was to meet Recovery Girl. She managed to bring a bit of hope to him, a warmth in his chest. A passion to be what he always wanted to be: a hero. Most importantly though, he could be _normal_.

Flashes of memories came and his gut twisted.

His quirk didn't have any happy memories to it.

Tears, screams, murmurs.

They all swirled around his head.

He gripped his chopsticks so tight they cracked and cut his hand. The sting drew him to the blood trickling down his palm and the pain was suddenly real, bare before the fire in his heart.

He was tired of it. Tired of being scared. Tired of caging himself. Tired of thinking in circles. Of putting himself down.

Of being alone.

But now he had a chance to _become_. To be _something_ instead of a phantom.

He could be a hero. He will be a hero.

He clenched his injured hand.

He would make his mother proud.

* * *

 **A fire in his heart! The fledgling hero hardens his resolve!**


	2. To stand

Setting his alarm half an hour earlier wasn't a good idea. There was something in his body that didn't agree with the slight shift in time. His eyes were blurry, his muscles were aching, and he felt like he was moving through tar.

The smile on his mother's face would be worth it. He hoped.

He shuffled his way to the kitchen and, very slowly, started to brew some coffee. If his timing was right, her alarm would go off just before it was ready.

She was still curled up on the futon, the TV still on. He would have turned it off, but they'd gone through a lot of remotes before deciding it was best of he left the thing alone. Same thing with chopsticks; a tiny slip in focus and they'd shatter. Eventually they kept a bunch of cheap disposable ones in the drawer.

It was inconvenient at times, but it was the life he had to get used to. His early years were full of breaking things: school chairs, door handles, playground equipment. In the end he just left it all alone. He stopped going out to play; he stopped watching TV; stopped using the computer after he jabbed a hole through the keyboard. All he had left was a specially reinforced pen and his books.

Books were hard for him to destroy, so they were the only thing he let himself have. His mother started him on a journal at first and encouraged him to get out into the world. It was a nice idea, but when she shooed him out of the door he just walked around aimlessly until he happened upon a hero in battle with a villain. Everyone was watching, oohing and ahhing, but Izuku felt like the only one who _saw_ it.

Every twitch of muscle. Every miniscule detail of the fight. Before he knew it, he was mumbling his thoughts aloud and quickly writing in his journal. It was later named his _Hero Notebook_.

The characters were messy, and the drawings were far from proportional, but as a seven-year-old he took his first steps towards his passion: heroes.

After that, he'd take walks daily, checking all the hotspots. When he couldn't go outside, he'd ask his mother to turn on the news. Day by day he filled his book, showing it to his mother when it was done. It wasn't exactly what she had been expecting, and she scolded him for doing something so dangerous. The day after she gave him another notebook with a tap on the head to be more careful. He flinched at the touch.

His mother looked upset at that.

As the years went on, his love for heroes never faded. It was his only hobby after all, and he discovered he was extremely observant. Freakishly so. Apparently not everyone could see the precise notes he took down in action. At least his drawings had got better, something his mother always pointed out. _You should be a mangaka!_

With his hope of being a hero fading, he was seriously considering it. Although slaving away in a stuffy office didn't sound that attractive.

But that was then. Today was different. Fresh.

The day before had been too much for him. After the regular prodding from Kacchan, a rare break of a pencil, a splinter hitting some girl in the eye, and him accidentally throwing his table through the window trying to apologise, he wanted to scream. So he went to the forest, unleashed his strength, and went wild.

Then Recovery Girl showed up.

It was extremely embarrassing to be caught, but it turned out for the better. He could only hope she would contact him today. He was anxious to get started.

A loud blaring alarm startled him. It was his mother's phone. Why was it so loud?!

His own muddled head couldn't take it.

Slowly the covers shifted, and his mother's hand snaked its way out to turn off the alarm. There was groaning, more shifting, and ever so slowly she untangled herself from the sheets.

Izuku got to work finishing off the coffee, carefully getting her favourite mug and filling it with a fresh brew.

She sniffed the air as she rubbed her eyes. Lethargically, she stood, shuffling her way over to the kitchen counter.

"Good morning, mum!" Izuku said with a smile. His voice was a bit hoarse from all the screaming he did yesterday.

She mumbled and followed the scent of coffee. She picked up the mug and brought it to her lips.

"It's hot," Izuku warned.

She took a sip anyway. Almost instantly she perked up, looking around the room as if she just opened her eyes. She looked surprised to see him. "Izuku?" She blinked. "Izuku! Good morning!"

She moved close for a hug and Izuku shuffled back, smiling nervously. His mother's cheer faded a bit.

"When did you get back? And where were you?! I was worried sick! Late doesn't mean past nine!"

Izuku rubbed the back of his head. "It was around ten… but don't worry, I was safe! In fact, something great happened!"

"Oh? What was it?"

It was amazing how she could switch from one mood to another.

"I… I found a doctor. She said she could help me with my quirk."

She smiled. "That sounds great!" She took a sip of coffee and a curious frown curled her brow. "It isn't illegal, is it?"

He waved his hands in front of him. "No! No! It's all safe! It's a pro-hero who's offered to help!"

As he went over what happened (the fact he met Recovery Girl made his mother squeal, she always liked the hero as a kid) and his new schedule the time passed quickly.

His mother was elated at the news, happy that he could work towards some form of normality. Her enthusiasm was infectious and he found himself more excited than he was last night. They talked about the news over breakfast. Well, Izuku fawned over All Might coming to town and his mother listening with a small smile on her face.

Just before he was about to leave for school, he turned to his mother. "Mum, I'll get better."

"What are you talking about? You're not sick."

"I am, mum. But I'm going to get better. I'll fix my quirk and… I'll make you proud."

"Izu – "

He shut the door, clutching a hand over his chest.

 _I promise you, mum. I'll do it. For once, I'll fix everything!_

* * *

School was the same as usual. He avoided people in the corridor and did his best to be invisible. Apparently, everyone heard about his antics yesterday and whispered as he passed, some laughing. One guy even tried shoulder barging him, only to end up flat on his back with Izuku apologising and backing away quickly.

When he got in the classroom, he noticed his desk was still gone. When the teacher showed up he was told the replacement would come tomorrow, and for the rest of the day he had to make do without.

So he spent the school day writing on his lap, his neck aching. On top of that, the girl and her friends were giving him _looks_ , flinching when he met their eyes. He almost snapped another pencil. Girls made him anxious to begin with.

As the seconds and the hours ticked by, as lunch passed agonisingly slow, Izuku waited for a message to come through. When the final bell rang and Izuku was halfway home, covered in his usual scorch marks, he realised Recovery Girl didn't have time for him. He knew she had other duties far more important than himself, but it still hurt. Like taking your first step right onto a plug.

He thought about going back to the river to train, but decided against it. Training under supervision would be better than punching rocks all afternoon, and he didn't want to lose his knuckle skin again. It stung.

Instead, on the walk home, he did what he did best: think. In circles. Sometimes he was pretty sure it bordered on neurotic.

He thought about the current that ran through him. It was always on, but he could never feel the switch. Like water falling from an invisible tap. He didn't even notice the flow within him unless he thought about it, and even then, he didn't quite _feel_ it. Like blood in people's veins. The only true feedback he got from his current was the little sparks that came from his body. It wasn't electricity, because it never sought itself to anything. Merely visual feedback?

He murmured and mumbled, a finger to his chin.

He was passing through a local shopping district when it happened.

The ground shook. An undeniable sound of _crumbling_ as brick smashed against brick. Dust billowed out into the streets. People screamed.

Izuku was on his hands and knees, coughing. His hair was white with dust. He rubbed his eyes with his sleeve, vaguely noting that he just put more dust on them.

Slowly, he looked up, and through his blurry eyes he could see the silhouette of a man standing atop some rubble. Light shined upon his massive, muscular form. His hands went to his hips.

That pose. That hair. All Might?

The man laughed.

But it wasn't the jovial laugh Izuku was expecting. It was rough, course, and sickening. Whoever was standing on that rubble wasn't the number one hero.

Izuku then realised it was a villain. A villain only a few feet away.

He needed to run.

He needed to hide.

But his legs wouldn't move. His hands were shaking. He watched with wide eyes as the villain walked up to another building and placed his hands –

Screams and a _crash_ and a _boom_. Dust flooded the district, settling in the air like a veil.

The villain laughed again. "Look at me, everyone!"

Where were the heroes?

"Look at me in awe! See the prime evolution of man!"

Izuku still couldn't see the villain's face.

"You are ants scurrying beneath me! Running scared as I crush your little nests!" The villain turned. "Huh?"

Even in all the chaos, Izuku could hear it too: a grunt of pain.

A woman had managed to part way get herself out the rubble. Everything below her shoulders were still trapped. She reached out towards the villain. "P-please," she panted, "please help me."

"Help you?" He threw his head back and laughed. "And why would I do that?" he asked, amused. "if you can't help yourself, then what good are you?" He bent over her. "You know what I'll do instead?" He raised a hand. "I'll put you out of your misery!"

The world slowed.

Where were the heroes?

The hand went down.

Where were the heroes?

The woman covered her face, screaming.

Where were the heroes?

Just before the hand touched, Izuku _pushed_.

He was there in an instant, knocking himself into the villain, who flew down the street. Izuku was left on the rubble, next to the woman who was looking at him with wide eyes.

How did he get there? Why was he there?

All he could manage was a shaky smile as tears ran down his face. He faced the woman, green sparks flying from his legs. "It's okay," he said, as if to assure himself.

"I'm here!"

The woman gasped and opened her mouth –

"YOU DAMNED BRAT! YOU DARE?!"

The villain stalked through the dusty veil. As he approached, Izuku realised how big the guy was. He was pretty sure the guy was even taller than All Might. Now that Izuku could see the fury on his face, he had to ask himself again:

Why was he here?

"I WILL CRUSH YOU!"

Where were the heroes?

The man set off in a sprint, and Izuku gulped. He looked for a way to escape, then his eyes fell on the woman by his side. In his fear, he forgot. It wasn't just him in danger.

He didn't know why, but he stood his ground on shaky legs, raising his fists in a sloppy guard. The villain barrelled towards him, murderous gaze locked onto his.

There were no heroes.

So he would have to do.

The villain came into striking distance. Izuku dug his feet into the ground. The villain raised his hands. "DIE!"

Izuku yelled and threw his leg up. The bricks around his feet rocketed into the air, peppering the villain's body. He stumbled.

Izuku dashed forward, pulling his fist back. Gritting his teeth, he closed his eyes and threw his fist.

A massive hand clamped around his wrist. Startled, Izuku opened his eyes. The world rushed by in a blur and his back collided with something hard. It took him a second to realise he'd been thrown against a wall. The pain was less than he expected. A perk of his quirk.

He remembered a villain was trying to kill him. He looked up and saw the villain walking towards him. Izuku stood and raised his arms. He just had to hold him off until the heroes showed. Hopefully it wouldn't be long.

He was shaking again. Violently. His right arm wouldn't stop moving, jerking violently in all directions.

The villain smiled. "Do you feel it, brat? That's my quirk: seismic vibration! Whatever I touch with my hands is subjected to my tremendous power!"

So it was intense vibrations. If it was contact based, then that filtered in a number of factors. Contact length probably increased the power of the tremors. Maybe even the duration. It was only on him for a split second, so maybe –

A shadow loomed over him. Izuku saw the muscles in the man's pronounced right shoulder twitch. A punch. Izuku leapt to the side and countered with a haymaker of his own.

"Too slow!" the villain shouted as he dashed into Izuku's range. He was close enough that Izuku only ended up hitting with his bicep.

Hands covered his head and face. "Now prepare to have your brains shook into mush!"

Izuku closed his eyes.

 _Mum… I'm sorry…_

There was a massive gust of wind and Izuku fell to the ground. After a few seconds he realised his brain wasn't mush and his arm wasn't spasming. He opened his eyes.

The villain was on the floor, unconscious. Above him stood the number one hero. All Might. Izuku's eyes watered.

"Don't worry! Why? Because I am here!" He looked around. "Hmm, it's pretty dusty…" He swung his arms up and a second later all the dust rose up from the street, dispersing into the sky. Izuku forgot it was sunny today.

"A-All Might…"

The hero turned to him and smiled. "Are you okay, young one?"

He wasn't. the situation was all crashing down on him. So he smiled, even as he knew his face showed his despair. "I'm fine!"

All Might came to him and kneeled. "It was brave, what you did. The sign of a true hero. Even now, you're smiling." He stood. "You remind me of myself when I was your age!" He laughed into the sky.

"All M-Might. I'm okay. There's a woman stuck over there. Help her first."

All Might stopped laughing and gave Izuku an intense look. As soon as it came, it was gone. "You have a good point, young one. Stay here, other heroes will be here soon." As All Might walked away, Izuku heard him say something else. "A hero indeed."

After that, people were taken away in ambulances, wounds were dressed, heroes and officers making sure everyone was alright. Since the dust was so thick, no one saw Izuku's 'fight' against the villain, so he was treated like another victim. The phone call with his mother was hectic. She was crying, he was crying. Both hysterical messes.

When he put the phone down, he looked across the street. There, the woman from before was having a cut on her head tended to. They caught each other's eyes and she smiled. Before she was put in the back of the ambulance he saw her mouth some words.

Thank you.

His heart soared.

Then he got a call from Recovery Girl.

His heart dropped into his stomach.

Apparently he was on the news, and she had a few choice words to say to him. After her tirade was over, and Izuku's ear was ringing, she finished the call with a clipped 'see you tomorrow'.

If it was his choice, he would sleep tomorrow away. Maybe the whole week.

Even a coma sounded like a good idea.

* * *

 **Resolve! The spirit of a hero pierces through!**


	3. Usagi-chan

All Might was dying. It was a hard pill for Yagi Toshinori to swallow, but swallow it he must.

He could remember a time when All Might and Yagi Toshinori were indistinguishable. The two would carry the same burden, spout the same lines, save the same people. And they would both smile.

Then that bastard tore up his insides.

What came after was a slow and painful process.

Week after week, he was pulled in two until he finally ripped. It got harder to smile at the mirror when a skeleton stared back. It got harder to smile when he swallowed the blood erupting from his stomach. It got harder to smile when he lied to the world.

Having two forms of such extremes was enough to shatter him in two. All Might could save hundreds at a time, change the weather with a single punch, and towered over every person in the world. Yagi Toshinori could do nothing. He couldn't run, he couldn't fight. He couldn't even go shopping without having to put his bags down twice. Forgetting his pills, eating hard food, breathing in too much dust; all of it could kill him, or at least put him down for a week or two.

Even when his master died, he never felt so mortal.

It was then he realised that he started to believe in his own lies. The damn smile. The smile that illuminated the world, that told everyone that they were going to be fine. The smile that made him invincible.

And he, the fool that he was, started to believe it himself.

Which only made it harder when he found himself on death's doorstep, a place he never truly left. He felt like he was sitting there in a neatly bowed package, just waiting for death to take a peek and notice.

Maybe that's why he stopped smiling.

In his younger days, despite his quirklessness, he was quite popular for his cheery attitude. People used to call it infectious, something to look forward to everyday. That only made him beam more, the fact he was helping people with such a simple act made his heroic dreams that much more real.

Nowadays, though, he never felt the need. Sure, All Might did, but Yagi Toshinori just found it tiring.

He was the great pretender, and his act was almost at its end.

That's why he needed to find a successor as soon as possible. Three hours a day was just not enough. That left people without their symbol of hope for twenty-one hours. In the constant battle between good and evil, that was far too long.

So he would do what his master did before him: turn to the youth. They were a generation brought up on his ideals, but finding a true hero, someone willing to shoulder the hopes and dreams of the world's people was going to be difficult. Or maybe it would have been, if Nedzu hadn't given him a perfect candidate: Togata Mirio.

The boy was perfect. His quirk was amazing, making him practically invincible. Combined with One For All, he would be unstoppable. He always smiled, and even gained the respect of Nighteye.

Whilst he was physically amazing, it was his mental fortitude that Yagi admired. He was always willing to learn, and his dedication to mastering his quirk spoke volumes about his character. He was a boy who would never surrender in the face of defeat, yet knew when it was time to disengage.

He would make a fine successor. Under his tutelage, and that of Nighteye's, the boy would become the next number one hero. Lemillion.

While thinking about Togata, Yagi's mind briefly flashed to the boy he met four months ago. He was a tiny little thing, and extremely skittish. But even still, he stood up to a villain without fear and prioritised other people above himself. It was a simple trait, but it was the baseline of all heroics.

If he hadn't already chosen Togata, that boy might have been his choice.

So one day, he got Nedzu to call the boy into the principal's office where he presented him with becoming the next successor of All For One.

Togata took his time to answer, a small frown on his face. "Isn't there anyone else? I don't mean to imply your decision making is poor, but… aren't there others more qualified than me? I'm not that special," he said.

"True. There are others I could pass my legacy on to, but for all their strengths, none of them have your drive, your character," replied Yagi. "What makes you special is your spirit, and your unbreakable will. You have faced every fall with a smile, and simply decided to become stronger. For that, I can think of no one better."

The boy looked stunned.

"You can take your time to ans – "

"I accept." Togata was looking at him, a fire in his eyes and a determined smile on his face. He stood, only to bow low to the floor. "I humbly accept your offer. I will become the next successor of One For All."

For the first time in a long time, Yagi smiled. "Good! Now…

"Eat this!"

* * *

Nothing. Absolutely nothing had happened. Even after a week, One For All had yet to surface in the boy, and both of them were starting to get disheartened. Togata was starting to feel that he wasn't worthy, and Yagi was worried that his fight with All For One broke more than just his body.

He just didn't understand what he was doing wrong. Togata took his DNA, Yagi wanted the torch to be passed, and he was feeling weaker with each passing day. All of them were signatures of him passing his quirk on.

The only person he could turn to help was Shuzenji-san. He only hoped she was in her office which, strangely, was frequently empty after school. When he knocked however, a reply came from inside and he let himself into the nurse's office.

Shuzenji herself was at the computer, squinting at some data Yagi couldn't even begin to fathom.

"Good evening, Shuzenji-san," he said as he closed the door.

"Evening, Yagi-kun. What brings you here?" she said, swivelling her chair towards him.

"Nedzu may have told you about me passing on my quirk to a student."

"That he did," she affirmed, "Togata Mirio I was told. A good choice, I haven't seen him in my office in a few months. A much better track record than anyone else here."

"Thank you," he said, "but there have been some… complications." Shuzenji tilted her head. "One For All is not passing on."

"And you have done everything you should have?"

"Yes, but it has yet to surface. I was hoping you could shed some light on it."

She rubbed her chin and hummed. "When I heard about Togata, I called him in for a medical and a blood test the next day. From what I found he was completely healthy. Perhaps…" She reached over and plucked a strand of hair off his head.

"Ow!"

"Oh don't be such a wuss." She put the hair underneath a machine, and with a button press it was being scanned. "It's amazing what technology nowadays can do," she said, "back in my day this would have taken weeks."

With a ping much like a microwave, the machine finished its scan and the hair disintegrated. The results came up on the screen.

Shuzenji's eyes widened. "This is…"

Oh god, something was wrong. "What is it? What's wrong?"

She glared at him. "Although I always call you a fool, this has to be the worst thing you have ever done." Something seized his heart, threatening to shatter it like glass. "Togata Mirio will never inherit One For All."

Dread in his voice, he asked: "Why not?"

"Because you passed it on years ago."

* * *

"And stop!"

Izuku gasped as he threw the boulder he was holding onto the embankment. Winter was closing in, and the setting sun peeked through the leaves onto the forest path. To the side, Recovery Girl was sitting on a folding chair drinking tea.

Izuku wiped the sweat off his forehead and rolled his shoulders. He felt _good_. The past six months had done wonders for him. He was still a stuttering mess and avoided people like the plague, but in the forest, in the river, he felt _himself_.

Maybe that's what Recovery Girl wanted to accomplish when she told him to go all out. At the start he suffered from several panic attacks, and for a couple of months he flinched when he caused some destruction.

But now, in the confines of the canopy, he felt safe to act and move freely. There, his dreams of becoming a hero were crystallised, helped along by the cool training gear Recovery Girl got him. It was like UA's gym uniform, just without the logo. It was perfect for his training and was waterproof, making cleaning it a dream, or so his mother said. Wearing it, he already felt like he was at UA.

Finishing off his stretches, he walked to Recovery Girl, who finished up her tea.

"Congratulations, Midoriya-kun, you've made it through stage one," she said. "I think it's safe to conclude that your quirk does not simply 'wear out' like everyone else's." She saw his smile and matched it with her own. "At least your confidence has improved."

"W-well it's still… you know," he said, rubbing the back of his head. "Here's fine, but out there, with all those people, I still feel nervous. Especially since I started using my powers fully. I feel more dangerous than ever."

"Yet, you don't feel as bad, do you?"

"No," he realised, "I don't."

"That's good. Because the next stage is going to focus on turning down that power of yours." She placed the tea cup into her bag, somehow, and pressed a button on the chair, collapsing it into a tiny cube which she stored away also. Izuku was still marvelled by the support course's technology.

"The next stage," she continued, "will take place at your home. Every week I will task you with certain objectives that you must complete and report back to me. In two months, I will check your progress and see if you can advance to the next stage."

The thought of being away from the forest for that long made his heart thump. "Will you visit?"

Recovery Girl sighed. "Unfortunately, UA is going to be busy over the winter, so I won't have the time."

"Ah, I see…" he said disappointedly. As much as he hated to admit it, the old hero had become a crutch to him. The thought of being alone for the next portion of his training unsettled him.

"Don't worry, Midoriya-kun. I have faith that you will be fine. You've come too far to fail now."

She was right, just as she always was. Maybe part of his training was learning to stop relying on her as much, she was clever like that. And she was right, the only way was forward.

* * *

Izuku wondered if he could ever glare at a villain as well as he could an orange. It was sitting there on his bed, taunting him with the little shine it gave off. Izuku's eye twitched.

"This time you'll get it…" He prodded it with a finger, making it rock. His eyes narrowed and his hand shot out.

"SMASH!"

He cradled it in his grasp, fingers twitching, sweat dripping. His teeth were grit. Sparks flew.

The orange exploded.

For a second he stared at his empty, juice covered hand. Bits of orange skin were stuck to the walls. His eye twitched again.

"DAMNIT!"

He fell onto his bed and screamed into his pillow. He was going insane. Twenty attempts. Twenty.

He didn't know what was more frustrating: that he couldn't do it, or the clean up afterwards. At least he could use the washing machine now, toning his power down to press things was easy now. Gripping things were another matter.

"Izuku! Just what is going on in there?! You're not… you know…"

His face lit up in a flush and he fell of his bed. "NO! No, no no! I was just –" he slid open his door, revealing his orange-juiced form, " – training!"

She gave him a strange look, her own flush dying down. "Well… okay… just save it for later; we have a guest."

"A guest?"

"Yes, so clean up and get changed," she said as she closed his door.

A change of clothes and a face wash later, he walked into the living room to see "Recovery Girl?!"

His mother, was startled by his outburst, flinching back from her conversation. "Eh?"

Recovery Girl smiled. "Good evening, Midoriya-kun."

His mother looked between him and Recovery Girl, hair swishing wildly. "Eh? Eh? R-Recovery G-G-Girl?!" The old woman smiled. Midoriya Inko got stars in her eyes. "Oh my! Oh my! I'm not wearing makeup, I'm not dressed right, the house is a mess…" She descended into mumbles.

Izuku moved on, a little freaked out to see where he got his bad habit from. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Surely you haven't forgotten? It's time to move on to the final step." She shuffled to the door and picked up a box on top of the shoe rack. "I was very impressed when I read your reports, so think of this as a gift as well as a training aid."

She placed the box on top of the living room table and took off the lid. What came out made his mother stop mumbling.

A pair of long, grey ears twitched in the air and, slowly, a rabbit's head came into view. It's little nose sniffed the air as its big eyes looked around the room.

"A-a rabbit?" Izuku stammered.

"Why don't you help her out of the box, Midoriya-kun?"

He gazed at the innocent creature. "Are you sure?" he asked uncertainly. "I don't want to hurt it…" he exploded oranges with the slightest pressure. A rabbit was a bit more durable, but still…

"I believe in you Midoriya-kun. I wouldn't be here if I did not think you could do it."

His mother watched on with a concerned frown, but did not speak.

Slowly, his hands came up, and he went to grab the rabbit. It scurried away from him, pawing at the far edge of the box. Izuku paused.

"It's okay," he whispered and reached further, leaning over the table. "I won't hurt you. I promise." Gently still, he moved, and when the rabbit stopped trying to escape, he took a gentle hold of it. It shook in his hands, so he brought it closer to his chest, hugging it against his warmth. Ever so slowly, it settled against him and he smiled.

"It seems people aren't the only things you want to save. It seems instinct still drives you a little."

Recovery Girl's voice brought his focus back to the room. His mother had tears in her eyes whilst Recovery Girl smiled at him. It was then he noticed what he did.

He was holding the rabbit in his hands. The same hands which used to break anything they touched. The same hands that could send boulders flying. The same hands that now cradled such a delicate creature.

Its fur was much like its ears: grey. Not a striking colour, but he liked its simplicity.

"You should give her a name."

A name? He wasn't any good at those. In his notes he kept things simple, like 'hero name costume mk. 2'. The rabbit didn't look like she wanted anything flashy. At least that's what he got from her eyes.

"How about Usagi?" He propositioned hopefully.

The blank looks he got back weren't very encouraging.

* * *

 **AN:** I think it's time to say I hate training chapters. Well, mainly starting from scratch training. I re-wrote this bloody thing so many times and I'm still not happy with it. In the end, I've just gone with a 'sod it'. I'll post this, move on to the next chapter where things can start happening and I can tell a story instead of explaining a bunch of stuff. Oh god, this is a filler episode isn't it?

Anyway, thank you for all the support, and sorry I couldn't give you a better chapter. I appreciate the advice and hope to see you on the next chapter.

(also, sorry about any spelling mistakes/grammar. My word subscription ran out so I'm on google docs atm. Maybe now I have to start actually writing better since I have to pay attention more)


	4. Growing

Chiyo never had any children, but she was sure the pride she was feeling for Midoriya was what parents would feel for their own. He had changed immensely from the timid boy she once knew. Sure, his social skills could use some work, but the confidence in his own body was completely different. She could happily say that her therapy worked. And hopefully, his time at UA would fix that stammer of his.

When he told her about his plans to become a hero, the first thing she felt was concern. The boy didn't know about the days before All Might; no one did, except the older generation who would rather not talk about it. Back in the day, heroes were just as likely to die as civilians. The fights were bloody, and one side usually walked away while the other lay motionless. They didn't have the capability of permanently incarcerating quirk users.

She had to remind herself that it was the past. The world of light All Might created was a stark contrast to those dark days. If they were trying to climb out of the pit of despair, then All Might was the one who grabbed their hand and dragged them out of it. He single handedly held the world in a state of peace.

And Midoriya would be the one to take his place.

After she found out the source of his power she firmly believed that the boy should follow his own path, without being influenced by his unknown legacy. It was for the same reason she advised Yagi stayed away from the boy and his mother. The child didn't need his emotions messed with when he was so close to recovery.

Apparently though, being a selfless fool ran in his blood and he wanted to follow the hero's life. It was the reason why he pushed himself so hard with his training, because he didn't want to hurt anyone else with his quirk. Seeing as he could handle a rabbit fine, she had no worries when it came to another person.

This was because she used imaging through his training. Each stage and exercise had a clear object to do it upon. Full power was smashing boulders. No power was holding a rabbit.

It played on his instinctual nature, something she found out about after his encounter with the villain. He wanted to help, so his body moved before he even knew it. Then he wanted to survive. First came flight, but his desire to save forced him to fight. At that point, it ramped his power up to full in order to defend himself.

The images, she hoped, would override these instinctual tendencies.

Over the next few weeks, she regularly visited the Midoriya home. It was nice, being in a lived in space. Her own apartment was just a place she would sleep; her office at UA was where she lived. Of course, she wouldn't trade her job for the world, being a doctor was her calling, but she was getting too old for the demanding job. Unfortunately, there had yet to be a miracle fix quirk like hers.

Midoriya-kun's mother was one of the nicest people she had ever met. Chiyo had been very flattered to be the woman's favourite hero, and after a few weeks they had become friends, trading stories over tea. The fondness in her voice when she talked about her child was unmissable. So was her sadness.

It seemed empathy was something else the boy inherited.

So there she was, a week before the UA entrance exams, ringing the doorbell of the Midoriya home. It would be her last visit for quite some time, and she wanted to make the most of it. Maybe even give Midoriya-kun some advice.

"I'm coming!" came from the other side of the door. It opened to reveal Inko, who smiled when she saw her. "Shuzenji-san! So nice to see you! Come in."

"Thank you dear," Chiyo said as she stepped inside.

"I keep saying I can get you a key cut," Inko said from the kitchen, likely preparing the evening's tea.

Chiyo slid out of her shoes and walked into the living room. "I don't want to trouble you, Inko-san."

She waved a hand in the air. "It's no trouble at all! You're welcome here anytime."

Chiyo smiled at that and sat down, petting Usagi-chan who was snuggled up on a cushion. "Where is Midoriya-kun?" The rabbit never leaves his side, and he was usually there to greet her by now.

Inko came over with the tea, setting it on the table. "He left about an hour ago. Said something about finishing his training."

So, he was back where it all started. Good.

* * *

The water rushed around his feet as the last boulder was lifted from the river. Wading through the muddied water, he reached the embankment and threw the boulder by the wayside. With that, the river was finally clear to flow.

He sat down and smiled, taking a deep breath. He had finally done it. He was so caught up with progressing in his training that he forgot about the job he started. It was only that morning when he remembered, and he was determined to finish it.

He felt… at peace, now that it was done.

Izuku heard a steady pace of crunching gravel and he looked up to the forest path.

"So this is where you've been going this whole time, Deku."

Kacchan was standing there, his ever present glare focused on him. "K-kacchan…"

He walked down to the embankment, the river separating them. "I knew there was a reason why you were never around." His eyes looked to Izuku's work: the shattered rocks, the shifted boulders. "I don't know what pisses me off more, the fact you've been running away from me, or that you really have been holding back this whole time."

Izuku opened his mouth to reply. "Don't speak, you shit," Kacchan interrupted, his voice taking on a rage filled snarl. "You've never taken me seriously, have you? All these years, ever since that day, you've always held back. It didn't matter how many times I hit you, you never hit back."

His red eyes glinted in the moonlight. "And I fucking hate you for it. I'm just itching to go over there and beat you to a pulp. But before I do, I need to know one thing: are you trying for UA?"

Izuku knew he didn't have long to answer. "Yes," he whispered.

Kacchan only seemed to get angrier. "So you've been wanting to take my top spot away as well?" Sparks were popping on his hands. "I wanna blow you to bits, Deku. But I won't do it here. No, I'll save your beatdown for UA, where I'll be number one."

Izuku felt something in his heart: the fire that had started ten months ago sparked again. "I-I won't l-let you, Kacchan." The boy's eyes went up. Izuku spoke louder, a determined look on his face. "I won't let you! I want to be the number one hero, just like All Might. And… and I won't hold back! I won't let you hold me down any more!"

Kacchan's face went from shock to something Izuku couldn't describe. It was wild. "Good, Deku! I'm looking forward to the day I get to pummel you!"

Izuku could feel lighting in the air.

After a brief stare down, Kacchan turned and walked away without a word, his hands clenching and loosening as he vanished down the darkened path.

When the sounds of his footsteps disappeared, Izuku deflated. His heart was hammering. The reality of what he did hit him. His hands shook.

But he was ready.

* * *

She knew he would sleep through his alarm. Her little boy always did his best to stay in bed, bundled up like a caterpillar, his fluffy green hair poking out from the sheets. Even though he was fifteen, she still found it cute.

"Izuku," she said softly, "it's time to get up." A grumble came from under the sheets. Inko chuckled. "Don't be like that, breakfast is waiting." He turned in his cocoon. "You don't want to miss your chance at _UA_ do you?"

That got him up.

Like a bullet, he shot out of bed and darted around the room, pulling open drawers and throwing clothes around. She moved her head away from an errant pair of boxers. Honestly, he was like his father too much sometimes, the guy could never take too much teasing either.

After letting him stew for a minute she cleared her throat. "Izuku." He stopped, a sock hanging from his head. "Everything is in the kitchen. Uniform ironed, breakfast waiting and, if you want it, coffee brewing."

"Coffee… Need…" He shuffled out into the hallway.

Inko looked at the mess he left behind, spotting Usagi-chan swamped by t-shirts. The rabbit was grumpy at being woken up, its nose twitching and eyes half lidded. She picked Usagi-chan up and put her on Izuku's bed, bundling her in his sheets. "There you go."

That done, she went back to the kitchen, where Izuku was slumped over his breakfast. "Come on, sleepy head, get moving," she said, tapping his shoulder as she went past.

After he cleared his cereal, she handed him a coffee. Decaf, of course, not that he knew; she didn't want her little boy addicted to caffeine at his age. The placebo effect was working just fine.

"What time is it?" he asked after a sip.

"Just after seven," Inko replied. "You've got about an hour until you have to be at UA. That should be plenty of time for you to get ready and get there."

"Thanks, mum."

"No problem, Izuku."

They didn't really speak after that. She knew whatever encouragement she would say would only put more pressure on him. She knew for a fact that he was already thinking in circles, worrying endlessly, just like she used to be before she had him. Motherhood had done wonders for her nerves, even if she still got a little emotional from time to time.

Twenty minutes later and Inko was ready to see him off, standing at the entrance to the apartment.

"Pencil case?"

"Yes."

"Food?"

"Yep."

"Water?"

"Hmhm."

"Training gear?"

Izuku sighed, shifting from foot to foot. "I've got everything, mum. Double checked."

He was eager to go. There was a part of her that didn't want him to. But in the end…

"I'm so proud of you, Izuku."

He smiled and tears filled his eyes. _Please don't cry_ , she thought, _you'll set me off_.

She blinked and felt something wrapped around her. It took a second to realise what was happening. She was being hugged. By Izuku. By her baby boy.

She locked her arms around him and found he wasn't such a baby anymore. His body was firm and muscled, and his head rested on her shoulder. The last time she held him, it was on her stomach.

Her baby boy had grown up.

His arms loosened, but she pulled him closer, pressing his head into her shoulder. A hand cradled the back of his head, just like when he was young.

It had been so long.

He must have felt the tears rushing down her face because he pulled back, worried. "Ah! A-are you okay?! I haven't hurt you, have I?!"

Inko looked at his face, the lines of maturity starting to form on his cheeks and his jaw, the roundness of his face becoming like his father's.

"I love you son."

The panic went from his face and he gave a watery smile. "I love you too mum." Then he looked guilty. "I-I have to go…"

She released him, already missing his warmth. "I know. Good luck, Izuku."

He seemed choked up, as he gave a strangled hum and a nod. Wiping his eyes, he turned, picked up his backpack, and set off into the morning sun.

When the doors closed behind him, Inko sobbed. She covered her mouth as the tears started again. All the years she felt like a failure. All the years she felt she missed. The years she spent at arms distance from her son. The time spent watching him fold into himself.

And he still loved her. He still wanted to hug her.

She was still his mum.

* * *

It was a lot bigger up close, he thought. Looking at the top made his head spin.

As people walked past him, Izuku still couldn't believe he was there. UA, the pinnacle of hero schools, the place where all the greats came from. Where All Might came from.

Where he would come from.

Hopefully.

 _Okay! Time to take my first step into the hero life! I won't be a timid loser anymore!_

He took a step, and tripped. Over his own feet. The traitors.

Before his face met the ground he felt a lurch in his stomach and his body felt like a bubble. Then he noticed the ground wasn't getting any closer. Maybe he was a bubble?

"Are you… okay?" A timid voice came from his side. It was soft and high pitched like a girl's. A girl's. A girl. "Do you need help?"

A girl was talking to him!

And he was just floating in the air, straight as a board, staring at the ground.

He flailed. "I'm f-f-fine! Yes! Completely fine!" Now he was spinning in the air.

"You don't look fine!" Now she was freaking out. He wanted to die.

"I - what's happening? I can't stop!"

"It's my quirk! I'll let you down, but you need to stop moving!"

He stilled his arms, feeling like he would throw up from all the spinning. A hand was placed on his shoulder and another pushed his back, setting him upright. "Release."

And just like that, he was back on solid ground. He'd have kissed it if he didn't have to keep his breakfast down.

"Do you need me to get someone?"

He turned to the girl who helped him and his brain shut down. Talking to her in an emergency was fine, but now they could have a _conversation_. Recovery Girl's training didn't teach him to _converse_! Especially not with a girl!

He could only stare and murmur as she backed away with a nervous look on her round face. "I… have to go," she said, and he made note of her bob cut hair.

"Ah," he said? Replied? There were so many switches turned off in his head. When the power came back on, she was gone and he was alone in the courtyard. That meant he was late.

He never ran so fast in his life.

Luckily the introduction hadn't started, and Izuku found a spot in the back of the lecture hall. Once he settled down and got his breath back, Preset Mic took the floor and started the introduction.

Caught up fanboying over the hero, he didn't notice the person sat next to him lean close. "Pst. Pssssssst. Psssssssssssst."

Izuku turned to the person. "What?!" It was another girl. Truly today was the biggest test of his life.

"I see you were late too," she whispered. Even in the low lighting, Izuku could see that her skin tone and eyes were different than a normal person's. "I was cutting it close myself, but it's good to know I'm not the only tardy one here!"

"Eh… ba… ye."

Ignoring his babbling, she continued, getting even closer with a friendly and excited smile. "My name's Ashido Mina! What's yours?"

"Excuse me, I have a question!" A person exclaimed from the middle. Present Mic let him ask it. "You have only told us about three machines, but in the pamphlet there are four!"

"Ah! Yeah, that one isn't worth any points," Present Mic replied, "so you don't need to fight it at all! Is that all?"

"No, sorry!" The boy turned to the back and looked Izuku dead in the eyes, the light glinting off his glasses. "I just want to say to the back to be quiet! Just because you were late, it does not mean you have to bring everyone else down who actually wants to be here! Thank you for letting me speak!"

"That was long winded…" Present Mic mumbled. "Anyway, is that it from everyone? No? Good! Get changed then we can get rockin'! Can I get a 'hell yeah!'?"

He did not get a 'hell yeah'.

"Hey, you want to team up?" Ashido the girl asked.

Come on Izuku, ignore the fact she's a girl! Take the first step! Grow a pair!

"I-I-I-I ac-actually different B-B-B?" She was still looking at him. Was that not right? "I g-g-group B!"

She seemed to get what he was saying. Success! "Oh, group B? That's a bummer. Are you foreign? You don't look it. Maybe with that hair…"

The lights came on and he noticed she was _pink_. Pink all over, even her hair. And she had some pretty cool horns. He had no idea what her quirk could be with those features. Maybe a telepath?

"Anyway, I better get going." She shuffled by him. "I hope I see you soon. You better pass!"

"Ah," Izuku said. And she was gone. The second girl he talked to today! His skills were getting stronger.

* * *

It was hard trying to keep his nerves in check, standing beneath the looming walls of the fake city. Everybody around him were dealing with it in their own way, either talking to each other or stretching.

Izuku himself was doing what he did best: observing. Like it or not, they were his competition, and figuring out how their quirks worked would give him a leg up.

One person caught his attention. A flamboyant blonde boy talking with a small group. He had a special looking belt. A focusing lense? A stabiliser? Back support? Izuku knew that his quirk must be focussed around the area. If it was a laser of some kind, then Izuku would have to be careful that his points wouldn't be stolen from a distance.

A hand fell on his shoulder and he jumped.

It was the glasses guy that called him out. He seemed like the proper and polite sort, especially with how he spoke before.

"I was hoping I would be in your group."

"Y-you did?"

"Yes. I hope you are not here for a joke. This is a prestigious academy that accepts and trains only the finest."

Izuku stepped back. "No, I'm n-not here for a j-joke! I want to pass!"

It seemed to placate the man. "Good. I hope you can back that conviction up."

"GO!"

The screech echoed through the air and everyone looked around, confused.

"You think villains'll give you a warning?" It was Present Mic. "Get moving!"

Within seconds everyone was running for the gateway, the glasses guy speeding off with what looked like exhaust pipes on his calves. Another quirk Izuku registered before he set off as well.

When he passed through the gate, he was met with clangs of steel and cries of effort. Everyone was fighting their way through the entrance, not looking back.

That drove Izuku to move himself, noticing he was behind everyone else. Luckily, with his strength, he could beat the robots with ease and hopefully rack up some points quickly.

On cue, a robot slid around the corner and immediately sped towards him. Izuku pulled his arm back, waiting. When it got it range, it swung an arm which Izuku ducked.

 _And counter!_

His fist sailed through the air.

And clanged harmlessly off its steel chassis.

He didn't have time to be surprised when another arm swung for him. He braced, closing his eyes.

There was a rush of wind and an obnoxious laugh. When Izuku opened his eyes, he saw the flamboyant blonde from earlier standing atop a two pointer. "Thank you for distracting the robot! We make a good team, no?"

Izuku gritted his teeth.

"Perhaps not then… well, toodles!" The blonde jetted himself away with a glittering stream from his belt.

Izuku spotted another robot and started to panic.

What happened to his quirk?

He knew he had the power to knock the robot away, but it never happened. Almost as if he never had his quirk to begin with.

Was it his nerves? Was he still too scared to not hold himself back around others?

The robot spotted him and got closer, the hulking three pointer staring him down.

Would his durability be gone too? One hit with from a machine that big would kill him.

As the ground shook, Izuku remembered something: he hadn't felt his quirk in weeks. It was only now he remembered what it was like walking around with such raw power underneath. Every movement felt like he was fighting himself, always tense, always fighting the current.

Ever since he got Usagi-chan, he lost that feeling. Usagi-chan… How it felt…

Green sparks flew.

His body tensed.

All he had to do was remember how it felt. How it felt to _break_.

His fist pulled back.

The three pointer shot forward.

His fist sailed through the air.

At first, the steel dented. Then it caved in. Then the robot _flew_ , crashing into a building in a cloud of dust.

The current was flowing. He wasn't fighting it. Izuku smirked.

It was time to catch up.

* * *

Toshinori was told to keep an eye out. _You'll know him when you see him_ , she said.

Easier said than done. There were so many powerful quirks on display, including a few strength ones. Nothing came close to showing the power of One For All, though Toshinori didn't expect such young children to do a full powered smash.

"Ooh, that was a good one!"

Toshinori looked towards one of the operators who was pointing at a coworker's screen. "Yeah, that was pretty wild. I'm going to keep an eye on him, looks promising."

The camera was following a boy with wild green hair who was speeding around the city. Each step propelled him quite a distance. Possibly some kind of gravity quirk.

That assumption quickly changed when the boy caught sight of a two pointer and launched towards it, fist pulled back. Even though the punch was sloppy, Toshinori was amazed at how much force it held; the machine had folded into scrap.

"That makes five points."

Only five?

"Seven. He's really ramping it up."

He was indeed, but he was running out of bots. The most he could get would be seventeen before there would be none left in the sector. With a minute left, Toshinori doubted he could reach any more, even with his speed. With so few points, that would mean a fail.

He needed a miracle.

"Send out the zero pointers," Nedzu commanded. And with a press of a button they emerged, tearing through the cities, sending scared teenagers running for the exit. All except for one.

She was trapped underneath some rubble, the zero pointer rumbling towards her. They would stop it before she got hurt, but they would leave it till the last second. After all, it was only in true life or death situations where the true spirit of a hero arose.

Why did everything in UA have to be so big?

Izuku assumed the zero pointer would be non-aggressive, simple cannon fodder meant to distract people from the real goal. Heroes had to keep focused on the situation after all.

Instead it was bigger than all the buildings and twice as wide, quaking the ground with every inch it moved.

So Izuku booked it like everyone else. Except, unlike the rest, he heard something: a grunt of struggle. He stopped and looked over his shoulder. There, pinned under a rock, was the girl who saved him from his fall not an hour ago.

 _Move. You need to move!_

She couldn't. It was the one time he hated his attention to detail; he could see the pain on her face, the panic.

His mind told him to run, but his legs wouldn't move. It felt like his torso was trying to drag him away.

 _You're an instinctual person, Izuku._

That's what Recovery Girl told him.

 _When you want to do something, you lose all that nervousness. Like when you faced that villain, you let go of all your worries. There was only one thing on your mind: to save._

 _And that is what will make you a hero_.

His legs coiled.

X

Toshinori felt a _pull_.

X

And Izuku rocketed forward. In one leap, he had covered the distance to the girl, who looked at him in surprise. With some effort, Izuku lifted the rubble off her leg. "Run!"

She pushed herself up and took a step before she stumbled. "I-I can't! I think my leg's broken!"

The weight was starting to strain his arms. It felt like his power was draining. "Just move out from under this!"

As swiftly as she could, she crawled along the floor, all the while the massive treads of the robot were getting closer. When she was clear, izuku discarded the rubble and moved to pick her up.

"Watch out!"

Izuku ducked, a massive metal hand sailing just above his head.

He picked up the girl and jumped. Only to have to drop and change course as another swing tried to intercept them.

They were locked in its range.

"Another one!" She shouted.

Izuku knew he couldn't dodge. He put the girl down and turned, throwing his arms out and stopped the robot's hand dead. Where he got the strength from, he didn't know. He only had time to act.

Pushing the hand away, Izuku jumped towards the robot's centre, landing a punch that pushed it back slightly.

It wasn't enough.

Putting as much energy into his legs as he could, he jumped again, managing to reach its head. His fist met steel and barely made a dent.

Green sparks arced from his body as he clung to the robot's face.

He struck again. Nothing.

 _More_.

Strike.

 _More_.

Strike.

The metal caved. Izuku gritted his teeth and, for a moment, the sparks stopped. His fist let loose.

 _More!_

With a primal scream, he struck, and the robot flew backwards from the force, its head falling apart as rivets were blown loose. Around him the wind whipped wildly, shattering what windows were left.

As the machine slowly fell, Izuku leapt off, tumbling along the floor on his landing.

It crashed with a massive clang and a plume of dust kicked into the air.

The girl!

Izuku turned.

Every eye was on him. They were transfixed, wide-eyed, mouths open.

Izuku wanted to crawl into a hole.

When the last screw fell, people started whispering, steadily moving closer. Izuku backed up. It was too much at once for him right now. Before they got too close however, a commanding voice cut through the murmurs.

"All right, settle down! Make way!"

Recovery Girl. Izuku wanted to cry.

"Go and get any wounds tended to. If you don't have any, go get changed. There will be a rest period before the written test begins. Now go on, off with you!"

Slowly, the crowd turned to leave, still whispering amongst themselves. Recovery Girl hobbled towards them.

"I see you're still causing trouble, Midoriya-kun," she said with a smile. He laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head, remembering the slap he got the last time he was 'troublesome'. When she got closer, she inspected him. "You seem to be fine, bar a few scratches. Go and get them disinfected while I tend to this girl."

"She has a broken leg!" They both looked at him. "I-I mean… j-just to save you time…"

Recovery Girl chuckled. "Thank you, Midoriya-kun. Go on now, I don't want you to miss on what little break you have."

"Okay," he said. Then he looked the girl in the eyes. His face burned. "Um. Bye!"

Like a bullet, he was off. Eye contact was scary!

* * *

Toshinori knew there was something familiar with the boy. He was the same one from months ago, the one who fought the villain in the dusty street. Back then he had noticed the gleam in the boy's eyes, the fire burning underneath his timid persona.

Now he had seen it manifested.

The whole room was stunned. It had been a long time since someone floored the goliath, the last one being Best Jeanist. It wasn't anything new. What stunned them was how the boy went about it.

Jeanist did it because he could. It was a statement of his power.

But the boy had done it to save someone with such fervor that they had never seen before. Instead of succumbing to despair when they were trapped in the machine's grip, the boy put his life on the line.

They were close to turning it off when Toshinori felt the _pull_ again. Then the boy had stopped the hand dead. The same pull happened on the final punch.

There was a definite connection between him and the boy, and memories he kept locked away in his heart came to the surface.

Memories of a green haired woman who took his heart in a single summer.

Memories of a night he treasured forever, right before he left.

He thought he cut everything off with her, but apparently he left something with her. A child.

His son.

Shuzenji-san was right. He was a fool.

* * *

One week later, Izuku was staring at the TV, barely processing the information.

After he left the written exam, he remembered he didn't score enough points on the practical to pass.

He felt like an idiot, crushing his dream before it even started. The past week had felt like he was waiting for an execution, the noose tightening around his neck day by day. Even Usagi-chan had picked up on his nerves, and stuck herself to him even more than before. He appreciated it, it did wonders to calm him.

At least he managed to save that girl. Any more and he'd be a regular rescuer of damsels in distress. Maybe that's how he could practice talking to girls.

The front door slammed open and his mother rushed in the room. "Izuku! It's here!" In her hand was a wax sealed envelope, the letters U and A stamped on.

His stomach fell.

"Well, don't you want to open it?"

"Can I do it in my room?" She looked confused, but she relented, and Izuku went to his bedroom, letter in one hand and Usagi-chan in the other. He only bothered to turn his lamp on. He put Usagi-chan on the table.

"Let's get this over with, ne, Usagi-chan?" And he tore the envelope in two.

A metal disk fell out, spinning on the desk before falling flat.

"I am here as a projection!"

"Ah!" Izuku almost fell backwards.

Floating in the air was All Might in some kind of studio. He was dressed in a suit Izuku had seen before, from an interview a couple of years ago. "Midoriya Izuku. Although you passed the written exam with perfect marks, you didn't get enough points to pass the practical. As such you have failed your entrance exam."

Izuku's head dropped.

"If that was all there was to it!" Eh? Izuku looked up to the smiling face of All Might. "Did I get you there?" He pointed a remote to a TV in the back. Was Izuku about to watch a screen through a projection? "Observe!"

It was the girl! She was speaking with Present Mic. "Excuse me, do you know the boy with the curly green hair? Kind of plain looking, had freckles? I think his name is Midoriya-kun. Do you know who I'm talking about?"

"I think I know."

"Is he still on campus? I want to thank him! He saved me! And - and even if he didn't pass his written exam or anything, I think he should be accepted!"

The screen turned off. "What kind of hero academy would we be if we didn't reward selflessness?" All Might said. "Destroying faux villains wasn't the only thing you were graded on! There are hero points too, given by a panel of judges! Thanks to that, you gained seventy hero points! Put that together with your seventeen villain points and you're the top of the entrance examinees!"

No way…

"This is now your hero academia!"

No way!

The projection cut out. Izuku shook in his seat. "Usagi-chan…" He scooped the rabbit into his arms. "I did it! I'm in! I can be a hero!"

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you for reading everyone. Trying to reset my body clock at the moment, so I'm knackered. It's also why this will read like tripe probably. Too many late nights. I don't remember whether or not I thanked everyone for their advice when I rewrote the story, if I didn't then thank you!

Thank you to everyone who reviewed last time, and thank you HephaestusBuilds for the encouragement and good wishes. Hope you have a good week too and thank you for your interest in the story.

As usual, I welcome feedback of any kind.

Gnight.


	5. Quirky Tests

He was nervous. It only occurred to him in the morning that a new school meant new people, people who didn't know about his social isolation. In his last school, people got used to ignoring him quickly; he never made any effort to interact with them, and every time he did it ended in catastrophe. Like when he launched the desk the year before.

So the idea of meeting new people was intimidating. He understood that UA was a fresh slate. There he could use his quirk and people wouldn't be freaked out. After all, those who got into UA had strong quirks of their own.

It was also a chance to actually talk to people. Maybe he could even get friends. Friend friends, not Kacchan friends.

Before he passed through the gates he took a deep breath. Okay. He was going to do better. He was going to get out there!

He took a step.

Then another.

He didn't trip over. Progress!

As he navigated the halls, he took the time to double check his backpack. It was a too little too late, but luckily everything was in there, including a bento made by his mother. He smiled at the sight. One thing to look forward to.

Ever since the entrance exams she smiled a lot more. Every time she would pass him, he would get his hair ruffled or his shoulder held for a second. She also took every opportunity to embarrass him with a hug. When he asked her why she changed so much, she simply replied with 'I'm just catching up'.

He felt guilty after that, something which she quickly noticed and put to rest. He wouldn't admit that he enjoyed the affection, he was a teenage boy after all, but years of restricting himself had left a hole of comfort in his childhood. He was happy the hole was closing.

Usagi-chan had tried to sneak into his backpack as well. Somehow she figured out that he took it whenever he left the house, and so the only way to stay near her favourite pillow was to be carried by him. Needles to say, he was shocked when he opened his backpack to see her pointed ears emerging.

After a quick scolding, he took the bunny out and placed her on the couch, putting a couple of cushions near her. Placated, but upset, she quickly snuggled her way underneath a cushion and went to sleep. He wished he could have done the same.

It didn't take him long to get to room 1-A, considering it was on the first floor. As he stood before the massive door, which surprisingly he wasn't shocked at, he gave himself another fortifying breath before sliding it open.

And almost getting chopped in the face.

"It is rude and unsavory to be placing your feet upon the school tables!" It was the glasses guy.

"Shove it! I'll do what I want, you shit!" Scolding Kacchan.

Izuku's chances of making friends in the class dwindled.

"May I remind you that we are in a presti -"

"Do you ever shut up?!" Kacchan interrupted. "You're giving me a headache!" He turned his head away from the glasses guy and saw Izuku at the door. "Deku…"

That drew the attention of glasses-kun. Izuku started sweating as the glasses guy approached.

"I have words for you," he said as he approached. He stopped at arms reach. And his back _snapped_ into a perfect bow. "I apologise for my rude words on the entrance exam!"

"Eh?"

"It appeared to me at the end that you truly knew the secret of the exam, and your selflessness as truly inspiring! I take back everything I said, please forgive me!"

Izuku back away. "I-It's okay, really…" The guy wasn't getting up. It was getting awkward. "You're forgiven?"

His body snapped back up. "Thank you very much!" A hand chopped out. "My name is Iida Tenya, nice to meet you."

Izuku rubbed the back of his head. "M-Midoriya Izuku, nice to meet you." It got a little meek by the end, but this was good! He'd spoken at least two sentences.

"Yo, green guy!" A voice came from the left. It was the pink girl! "You made it!" She was leaning over her desk, waving.

"Good morning…" he waved back feebly. It was too early for all this energy.

Something bumped into his back. "Ow. I could have sworn this was a door…"

Izuku turned to see the girl he saved rubbing her forehead. They locked eyes and izuku blushed, remembering how she pleaded for him to get into UA. She blushed as well.

"Uh…"

"Eto…"

"Shut up and take your seats. You're not here to socialise." They were both startled by the noise and turned to see a man-sized caterpillar. "It's too early for this," he mumbled in a deep baritone.

Izuku and the girl exchanged another glance before they went to their seats. When the class settled down, and the caterpillar shuffled to the front, he shed his skin to reveal he wasn't a caterpillar at all. Just a sleep deprived adult.

The texture of the sleeping bag should have given it away, but with quirks around that turned people pink, you never could be sure. The man cleared his throat.

"My name's Aizawa, and from this day forward I'm your teacher." He looked at the room and put some eye drops in. "Now, we've got introductions to get out the way. You're all seated alphabetically, I'm sure you can figure out what order you're in. I'll be over here, resting." He sat in a chair next to the podium. "Make it quick. I want to start the first lesson."

And so the introductions began. One by one he found out his classmate's names, relearning the pink girl's - Ashido-san's - name. There was a small comfort he found: Koda Koji was just as, if not more, timid than he was. Maybe they could be shy together in the corner. Or separate corners.

He also learned the girl's name: Uraraka Ochako. It suited her.

Kacchan kept his brief, announcing to the whole class that he was going to be number one and the side characters should stay out of the way. No one bothered to comment.

Before he knew it, it was Izuku's turn. The walk up to the front was unbearable. Eyes bore into him from every angle. Again, he glanced at Uraraka and she smiled, giving him a thumbs up. Emboldened, he stepped up. And had no idea what to say,

Everyone else had said what their quirks were along with their names. Most importantly, however, you could tell what kind of person they were. Like Aoyama: flamboyant, sparkly, and a little annoying.

Izuku didn't want to come across as shy and timid. This was his chance to strike out!

He squared his shoulders, cleared his throat.

"Midoriya Izuku! Strength quirk! Please take care of me!"

Did he yell that loud? The earphone jack girl was rubbing her ears with a squint. Even Aizawa jerked awake. "What's going on?"

"I… um - well - "

"Just go sit down."

"Okay."

It was amazing what two massive letters printed on his uniform did. The UA gym clothes were the same as the ones Recovery Girl gave him, but these were official. _Branded_. It would be a treasured possession forever.

"Alright," Aizawa began, "the first thing that you've got to get through your heads is that this isn't middle school anymore. This is a place where you're training to become heroes. As such, you need to be at peak physicality. To get a gauge of your abilities, we're gonna do the standard athletic tests." Aizawa pointed into the crowd. "Midoriya, you came first in the entrance exam. Come over here for the first demonstration."

He was already being picked out?

Izuku made his way from the back of the group, passing by astonished stares and the burning glare that Kacchan gave him. Did Aizawa have to alienate him so early?

When he got to the front he was given a baseball. "Midoriya, what was your record throw in middle school?"

"W-well…" Izuku looked to his feet. "I never got to do the tests… I haven't really been a-able to turn my quirk off until recently…"

Aizawa hummed. "If anything, that just proves the point I was going to make." He turned to the class. "In middle school, you weren't allowed to use your quirks, to make it fair or some other stupid reason. Here, however, you're going to train your minds, bodies, and quirks so that all are synchronous.

"Midoriya, throw the ball. Time to set a record for yourself."

Throw the ball. Okay. He could do that.

Trying to ignore the expectant stares, he set his arm back. Would form matter with how much force he could put out? What would the right angle be? He was the first person to display a quirk in the whole class. Would they be scared?

"Any time today."

He was thinking in circles again, and since he had to stop his mouth from moving, he was probably mumbling too.

Okay. He took a breath.

And he _threw_.

Wind whipped and cut into the ground, kicking up dirt and coughing up clouds of grainy brown. His classmates covered their eyes whilst trying to see the ball. Aizawa stood calmly, watching the number increase on his phone, an eyebrow arched.

When the dust had settled, Aizawa turned the phone to the class. "Here," he said, displaying the measurement 1,267km. "You can see how a quirk can change these tests into something more feasible. You can consider this a 'hero score', something that goes beyond normal human limits.

I will be watching these tests. If, by the end, you fail to create a single 'hero score', or place at the bottom of the class, you will be expelled."

Expulsion?! It was only the first day!

"Am I understood?" Hesitant mumbles came back. "Good. Let's begin."

When Izuku returned to the group, the hesitancy was disappearing. "You know, this could be pretty cool," Kaminari said.

"Yeah," Kirishima agreed, "We can finally kick loose and go all out! It's the ultimate test of manliness! Hell, even seeing that throw got me all fired up!" He pointed at Izuku. "You hear that, Midoriya? I'm gonna fight you every step of the way!"

"Me too!"

"Me too!"

"You seem like a good challenge!"

Instead of being intimidated by his score, they were excited?! These people were insane.

"Deku," Kacchan growled, "I'm gonna blow you to pieces!"

Uraraka chuckled nervously. "Let's do our best, Midoriya-kun!"

He blushed. "Y-yeah! Let's do our best!"

* * *

Aizawa Shouta was not a lenient person. His life as a hero dragged him through the seedy underbelly of the world. Being lenient, showing mercy, was a first class ticket to an early grave. Something too many of his friends had succumbed to.

It was one of the reasons why he started teaching; the children had to be taught that hero work wasn't all glamour and glory, there were lives on the line at all times, including their own. Of course, he couldn't give them the threat of death if they failed, so he settled on the death of their hero career. Many saw it as cold, the human part of him did too, but it was necessary.

He did not want them to become like him.

Sure, he never wanted the glory and fame that came with being a hero, but he was faced with his own battles. There was a point, through all the midnight beatings, through all the late arrivals to crime scenes, through all the filth, that he felt himself toeing the line between heroism and villainy.

The constant battle between selflessness and selfishness. Compassion and nihilism. Good and hate.

He lost count of how many sex rings he busted, how many bloodied bodies he found slumped in alleys.

But he always remembered how many he has killed: One.

It was a usual beat on a usual night. His eyes were dry and his feet were aching; he spent the day incognito, walking around the city looking for clues. His patience was thin. So when he heard a scream and saw a man ripping a woman's shirt in half, he snapped.

It wasn't an epic fight. The man didn't have a powerful quirk. Aizawa just dropped down from a building, wrapped the man up in his capture gear, and threw him against the wall. It was more force than necessary, more than he'd ever used. The man's neck had snapped on impact, killing him instantly. Just by looking at the body, he knew the man was dead. He didn't really care.

What hit him was the woman.

He went to give her a helping hand, maybe give her his jacket, but she flinched away from him. She was scared. Not the usual jitters of a close encounter, but _terrified_.

She looked to the body, then to him, eyes wide and mouth shaking. Her legs pushed her against the floor until she backed up to the wall. Her body didn't know what to do, caught up between holding a snapped bra strap up and preserving her decency. Aizawa knew she wanted to run.

Quickly, he turned, activated a beacon for the police, and climbed the building with his gear.

The day later, he applied for a job at UA and got it immediately thanks to his experience.

The day after, he gained his reputation as one of the toughest instructors in the school after he expelled his entire class. The principal never complained, so Aizawa continued. Maybe Nedzu had the same view as he did. It didn't matter. Class by class he would train the best damn heroes he could.

Life wasn't fair, so neither was he.

As usual, the class he got for 1-A were all kids with powerful quirks. All of them bubbly and excited for their high school hero life. All of them wanted to be the best, another generation of All Might's smile, but Aizawa would show them that all the bravado in the world would not carry them through.

Funnily enough, for the first time in his teaching life, they all backed it up.

He knew the tests were unfair for some, like Kaminari and Hagakure, whose quirks were for very specific roles. He wasn't looking for a quirk flexing competition, even though it turned into one, he was looking for those who were willing to push themselves and go beyond. To show the meaning of 'Plus Ultra'.

Those who didn't would end up at the bottom and be expelled. That was the theory.

All the kids went above and beyond. They were not only resourceful, but they showed the determination to push through their feelings of hopelessness. Mineta, for all his complaining, used his quirk in such a way it put him in the middle of the table. Uraraka displayed the knowledge of her own quirk, using weightlessness to its full advantage. She, like Hagakure, pushed through their 'normalness' to achieve results better than they got in middle school. And they still wanted to do better,

And Midoriya Izuku, the timid boy with such raw power, broke whatever chains were shackling him. In the end he was trying to compete, and he beat his previous pitch by two hundred kilometres.

So, in the end, "I was lying."

"EH?!"

"It was an intellectual lie made to increase your performance. You all passed."

Hagakure had stopped crying tears of sadness and turned them into tears of joy, hugging Ashido around the waist from the floor.

"Don't think this is the end though. I still have the power to expel you at any time. Now go get changed and get to your next lessons, I'll see you tomorrow." With that, he walked away to the staff room, right into All Might who was hiding around the corner.

"Are you becoming soft, Aizawa-chan?"

He didn't have the patience for this. "I don't know what your talking about."

All Might smiled. "Of course not! I've just never seen you keep a whole class before." His voice went from a cheerful lilt to a deeper tone. "A lie, you say? It seems you see the same thing in them that I do."

Aizawa rolled his eyes. "And I'm sure that has nothing to do with your secret love child." All Might sputtered.

"W-what are you talking about?!"

"Midoriya Izuku. His quirk's beat for beat like yours."

"You're so funny, Aizawa-san! You always say the most ridiculous things!" All Might laughed. It was forced. Too forced.

Aizawa's eyes widened. "I'm right, aren't I?"

"No, of course not!" Another laugh.

Aizawa looked at All Might: his stance was as straight as it always has been, but his eyes told a different story. He was nervous. "I was just joking," Aizawa said, "I thought you could take a joke. Anyway, I'm going. Got another class to teach."

"See you, Eraserhead!"

As he walked away from the number one hero, Aizawa smiled wickedly. This year was turning out to be fun. He hoped the students could keep up.

* * *

The cafeteria was huge! The food looked amazing as well. For once, Izuku wished he didn't have his mother's bento in his bag. He scanned the tables, looking for a nice quiet place to sit.

"Midoriya-kun!"

"Midoriya-san!"

He looked to the noise and saw Uraraka and Iida by a table, food in hand. Iida was waving to him erratically, while Uraraka smiled embarrassingly.

Okay. This was his chance!

He shuffled to them. "H-hey."

Iida got close, right into his personal bubble. Izuku fought to keep the emergency alarms down. "Midoriya-san, would you like to eat lunch with us?"

Izuku looked passed Iida's shoulder to Uraraka. "It'd be nice, Midoriya-kun!"

"Okay," he stuttered. When they were seated, he was next to Iida, while Uraraka was on the other side.

"Midoriya-san, I was most impressed by your performance in the tests. I cannot believe I ever doubted you."

"Same here, Midoriya-kun," Uraraka chimed, "you were amazing!"

He blushed, scratching his head in a nervous panic. "It was nothing, really! Y-you two were a-awesome as well…"

The nervous air put them all into silence.

"Before we eat, I just want to say something," Uraraka said. "Midoriya-kun… thank you." She saw his confusion. "I just thought that I haven't thanked you for saving me that day. I was really scared, you know? So thank you!" She bowed.

Izuku chuckled. "It wasn't a problem!" He smiled. "I'm just happy I helped you."

She looked up. There was a pause.

And Uraraka released a huge breath and fell back on the seat. "Thank goodness. I was feeling tense all week. I'm glad we got that out of the way, Midoriya-kun. We can be good friends now."

"F-friends?!"

"Indeed!" Iida announced, "Together, as three, we will traverse our high school lives to the fullest!"

The sincerity, the arms, the serious look. Izuku couldn't help it. He laughed. Uraraka gave in too, holding her sides. It was so cliche! Eventually, Iida chuckled too. As lunch progressed, they talked a bit about themselves, Izuku chipping in shyly. He didn't want to say too much. Uraraka held back as well, Izuku could tell.

At the end of school, when they walked to the school gates together, Izuku could confidently say that he made some friends.

One of them was a _girl_.

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you for reading! I'm happy I got this one out in a reasonable time. It seems like filling chapter are my weakness. I was stuck on how to make the tests epic and cool until I thought of doing it from Aizawa's perspective.

I enjoyed reading the feedback for the last chapter, and I hope you enjoy this one too, even if it is the bridging between the heroes vs villains exercise which is next up. I've got an idea for another story as well. Don't know how long it will be, but keep an eye out.

Thank you to all who reviewed last chapter and I shall see you next time!


	6. Destined fight between men!

Ochako woke up early, still not used to the new place. It was small and manageable, a studio style kitchen and living room space with a small corridor leading to a bathroom, bedroom, and toilet.

It was refreshing, being in a new place, being free from the burden of rent thanks to her scholarship.

Her old home, while warm and loving, felt like it was frozen in time. The days were all the same. Wake up; cereal or toast; brush teeth; get changed; thirty minute walk to school; get back; study; listen to music. Then sleep. Glorious sleep. Nothing could bother her in her sleep, and it made the future come just a little bit faster.

Since her parents worked all day, she only really saw them in the mornings and at night. That meant Ochako was the one who brought in the letters. If they didn't have red text or stamps on the envelope, she would squeeze it and try and peek through the little window slot to see who sent it. Then, at night, reading over her books, she would flinch at the sound of tearing paper, a cold hand seizing her heart as the papers shuffled past the door. There would be silence, murmurs, and sometimes a sob or two.

Ochako would come out later for a drink and smile like nothing was wrong. That she was fine. Her parents would smile back too, most of the time. There were all lying to each other, and they knew it.

Even still, they would smile, they would pat her on the back, offer her money so she could go out with her friends (which she never really had; they knew she was poor). They still wanted the best for her. And they thought the best was her leaving her old life behind.

How could she, when they had done so much for her? They clothed her, fed her, kept her safe, and her appreciation for them would never go away. They were amazing people, who did their best for everyone they knew. Selfless and kind. They didn't deserve the life they had.

She had asked them once, when the rent had backed up and all they could afford were a few tins of food for a couple of weeks, if their life would be easier if she never existed.

Her mother looked at her, tears welling up as her father looked horrified. Immediately she was smothered by the two and told to never say something like that again.

It wasn't until a couple of years later that Ochako figured out they thought she was going to kill herself, something not even in her mind at the time. It was just, growing up, she saw everything as an expense. Toys were never in abundance, but she knew that they had a cost. As such, she knew that she herself was an expense, something else that kept them in the red. When she was ten, and learned just how much it cost to keep a person fed, she was annoyed about how much of a burden she was.

So from then she studied harder than ever before, with UA as her target. If she could get in there, then even as a sidekick her wage would be pretty good. Well, pretty good to her standards.

It was only when she was staring death in the face did she fully understand what she gotten herself into, and what to aim for: Midoriya Izuku. Not only did he save her life, which she would pay him back properly for one day, but he showed her what a real student at UA was supposed to be. Selfless, determined, willing to push through.

It made her dream feel meager. Was she only in it for the money? She didn't know.

Her alarm beeped. Had she been lying there for that long? She moaned into her pillow. At least at home she had a bed.

Willing herself out of her futon, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and tried to pat down her hair; it always poofed out in the mornings.

Breakfast was a simple bowl of cereal, and she listened to some music on her dad's old portable cassette player. Ironing her uniform, she wondered what the day ahead would bring; Aizawa-sensei was not a good start to the year, and the threat of expulsion would probably hang over their heads for the rest of the year.

What if she wasn't perfect?

They were on the knife's edge.

"Come on, you can't think like that," she said to herself. "Do your best and everything will be fine." She repeated the words her parents always told her.

But they always did their best, and nothing was fine.

She smacked her cheeks. That voice was there again, countering every thought with something negative. It was going to be okay; she'd go to school, do the work and pass another day. Easy.

Her phone beeped again and she realised she was still standing at the ironing board in her pajamas.

"Ah! I'm going to be late!"

After she got dressed, she passed by the mirror hung in the hallway. Her hair stared back from its many angles.

"Ah!"

There was no time! She'd have to sort it out on the way there.

* * *

Izuku had a better morning.

He made it to school ten minutes early and had time to set up his desk. Iida was there too, and they had a little chat, mainly guessing what would be in store for the day.

"I just hope Aizawa-sensei isn't doing the hero course…" Izuku muttered.

"Indeed. He has put us in a bit of a bind, hasn't he?"

"Yeah."

Iida's glasses glinted and he pointed a finger to the ceiling. "But fear not! Aizawa-sensei's challenge will elevate us to become the best heroes we can be! We must not falter!"

Izuku edged back. "Y-yeah!" He half-raised a fist. "L-let's do it…"

Izuku hoped he would get used to Iida's enthusiasm soon, his heart wouldn't be able to take much more. Every flick and hand gesture had him palpitating. He wondered if the engine quirk did more than just affect his legs, his whole body had energy to burn.

Actually, that was an interesting theory. Would the engine quirk be able to speed up his thought process? It could make him smarter, and have better reactions. Perhaps it was already a thing, since he seemed to be able to process information whilst running at high speeds. Still, that didn't explain his arms. Were there exhausts underneath his sleeves?

"Midoriya-kun, are you okay?!"

The world came back to focus and - Iida's face!

Izuku fell back in his chair.

"Midoriya-kun! Does anyone have a torch?"

"What do you need a torch for?"

"I believe Midoriya-kun has gone into shock! I must check his pupils then immediately begin resuscitation!"

"I have a torch!"

"Thank you, Yaoyorozu-san!"

Resuscitation?! Did that mean mouth to mouth?! No no no no no no!

He shot up to his feet. "I'm fine!"

"Are you sure, Midoriya-kun?!"

"Yes, yes I'm fine, completely fine! P-please stop shining that in my eyes!"

As Izuku shielded his eyes, a shout came from the door.

"Sa~fe!"

He managed to peek through his fingers to see Uraraka sliding through the doorway, hands wobbling for balance. Her cheeks were more flushed than usual and her hair was sticking out in places. Trying to compose herself, she shifted her backpack before noticing him and Iida by the window.

"Whats going on here?" She asked hesitantly.

Iida faced her, causing Uraraka to cover her eyes from the light. "Ah, sorry." He turned the torch off. "Midoriya-kun was murmuring and went into shock!"

She looked at him. "Really? Are you okay, Midoriya-kun?"

She leaned closer and Izuku blushed. "Bu - bu - y-yes I'm fine! Iida-san just surprised me."

"Are you sure?" He nodded. She moved back, thank god. "Well, okay then. Just let us know if you need us, okay?"

"Yes!" He looked at her hair again. "Uh… Uraraka-san - "

"Take your seats. It's time for some maths," came Aizawa's sleeping bagged form from the doorway. "Hurry up, I hate this stuff as much as you do, so let's get it over with." He shuffled to the board as Uraraka and Iida said their goodbyes. An arm snaked from the bag, pen in hand. "Let's begin."

The next few hours were what Izuku was comfortable with: academics. All those years restraining himself physically he managed to find some joy in solving problems. Doing it in UA only made it better, since it was all going towards his future as a hero.

Though there was one thing he was looking forward to: the hero training lesson.

* * *

Toshinori was dreading the hero training lesson. He had never taught a class before, and not even his thousands of public events could have prepared him for the class ahead. He was afraid his All Might form would collapse earlier than usual, and they would see how weak he really was. Three hours was always a rough estimate.

He was also worried for the safety of the children. The All Might in him thought his fears were unfounded, he'd been responsible for so much more in the past. Taking care of children in a controlled environment was nothing.

It was probably because he was now a mentor to the next successor of One For All. It came with a pressure he could not describe, multiplied by the fact Midoriya was his own blood. Unknowingly, he had cursed his son with carrying the weight of society on his shoulders, even if the boy didn't know it yet. He needed guidance, and from what Shuzenji-san said, control.

He was like the settings on a microwave: when he chose an increment of power, he was stuck with it.

Toshinori would have to find a way to help him without outright revealing their quirks were the same. He had to do that while also increasing the boy's confidence in himself. Toshinori sighed, putting on his baggy costume. If only he was around sooner. If only he knew earlier. If she told him…

He could have helped. The boy - his son - could be 'normal'.

" _Don't focus on the could haves, Toshi-kun. The only thing they do is drag you down. All a hero can do is look forward, and smile. Always smile, Toshi-kun._ "

She said that to him before she passed on the power. Words he lived by for years. Whenever he found it hard to breathe and eat, and he couldn't find a reason to smile, her words would emerge from the cloud of his mind, crisp and clear. The words that made All Might.

" _You know what I like about you the most, Toshi? It's your smile. It always makes me feel safe, and it makes you look so handsome. And, to be honest, it really gets my heart racing… Hey, don't laugh! At least I didn't say it was your butt like you did! I'm trying to be romantic!_ "

Her voice had been showing up more as well the past few weeks. It started slow at first. Faint smells that prodded his memories; vivid greens of the forest leaves. Then her voice came and he wondered if she still sounded the same. He would be a fool to think she would look the same. After all, he just had to look into a mirror.

It killed him to not get in contact with her, to ask her questions and see how she was doing; to catch up on Izuku's early years. If she gave him the right. If she didn't hate his guts.

"Yagi-san," Cementos said, pulling him out of his thoughts, "Your class is about to start."

"Ah. Thanks, Cementos-san." Closing his eyes, Toshinori flicked the switch in his head and turned the current on. In two seconds his costume was filled out, and All Might took over. "Wish me luck, everyone!" He shouted to the staff room before setting off to 1-A.

He hoped the exercise wouldn't leave anyone with serious injuries. Recovery Girl would kill him.

* * *

Izuku eyed the briefcase excitedly, turning it about in his hands. When he had to submit his design for a costume, he didn't have much say in the process. Recovery Girl had shown up with some diagrams and consulted with his mother over the design.

The whole evening was him trying to sneak a peek, and them shooing him away while muttering and pointing between themselves. If he didn't have anxiety before, he would have contracted it then.

So it would be his first time seeing his costume. He couldn't get to the changing rooms fast enough. He only hoped it didn't look stupid for functionality reasons. What equipment did he need, really?

When he opened the case, he was pleasantly surprised.

Inside was a dark green jumpsuit made of a thick material, with black lines running down the legs and arms. Elbow and knee pads were fitted to the suit, along with a cup to protect his, uh, lower area. When he pulled the suit fully out, there was more equipment at the bottom, along with a note. He set the suit on the bench and read the note.

 _Midoriya-kun,_

 _This suit is made from a new fabric the support lab is testing. It's tear resistant, waterproof, and provides some protection from knife attacks. Don't go thinking about getting stabbed! It's still just a jumpsuit._

 _Along with the suit is a pair of gloves, a face guard, and some boots. Your mother told me how much you love those shoes of yours, so I had them recreated. These, however, are steel toe-capped. Your gloves, as well, have reinforced knuckles. It's not steel, I don't want you breaking your classmate's bones, but it will give you the protection you need until you train those knuckles._

 _The face guard was your mother's idea, in case you want to protect your identity. She said she wanted it made 'like a big smile, just like his favourite hero'. You should be happy you have such a thoughtful mother._

 _Good luck, Midoriya-kun._

They worked so hard. Izuku wondered how many strings Recovery Girl had to pull to get that material. Probably not many, she had a hard smack.

"Five minutes left," a robotic voice came from a speaker.

Everybody else was almost ready, some people's costumes easier to put on than others. Iida's looked complicated, and Kacchan's…

"The fuck you lookin' at, Deku?!"

Was not important at all. Not one bit. He would look later.

"If I catch you doing that again, I'll blow you to bits!"

Or not.

He was the last one to reach training area B. When he showed up, Uraraka greeted him. And he almost died.

"Wow, Midoriya-kun, I like your costume! It looks super down to earth. The visor is pretty cool too!"

Was his heart supposed to clench that way? Did he have super strength in his heart too?! Was he going to die?!

"I should have asked for more on my design. I ended up with a body suit…"

Why was she shuffling?! He had to resist!

"It's pretty embarrassing…"

Why was she scratching her head?! It made her, uh, _assets_ look, uh, _enlarged_. Resist! He had to resist!

"Ah, bu… bleh?" He forgot how to speak Japanese. Was she always so pretty?

"Listen up, young ones!" Wait, that voice… A blast of wind and a blur of colour, and All Might was standing before them. "I am here!" He pointed at them. "Here to teach you! Let me explain what we're doing today."

Everyone, Izuku included, was staring in awe at the number one hero.

"That's totally a Silver Age costume!"

"I can't believe he's really here!"

All might cleared his throat. "Today you'll be doing an exercise. Using lots, we will form teams of two -"

"Sensei!" Iida began, his hand raised, "I have a question! Why are we leaving teams up to something as random as lots?"

Izuku knew the answer and he spoke before he knew his mouth was moving. "S-sometimes heroes have to m-make makeshift teams to respond to a situation properly…"

"That is indeed correct, young Midoriya. It is this spontaneity that will be behind the lesson today. Your teams will be assigned a role: heroes or villains. The villains will be tasked with defending a nuclear device from the heroes within a building. One thing to note is the heroes will not know what room and floor the bomb will be in."

"The odds are really stacked against the heroes," Kirishima said.

"Yes, they are, but heroes are always up against the odds. This will teach you how to engage the villains who are smart and hide their crimes, and to push through the odds. That is what it means to be plus ultra!" He looked down on them, the radiant smile on his face. "Any more questions? No? Then let's draw the lots!"

Izuku, to his mortification, ended up with Uraraka who jumped in excitement. He was thankful to whoever made sure her, _assets_ were kept in place. He would have had a stroke if they didn't.

"Uraraka and Midoriya, you are the heroes!" All Might rummaged around the other box. He pulled out a ball. "You will be facing team C: Todoroki and Bakugo!"

Izuku dared to look at Kacchan. He was glaring at him, as usual, but he didn't have the bloodthirsty grin Izuku thought he would have. Instead, he walked by without a word, followed by Todoroki who didn't even glance in their direction.

"They're pretty intimidating, right Midoriya-kun?" Uraraka was shaking a little.

He only hummed in response, looking at Kacchan's back as he entered the building.

They would be having their confrontation sooner than he thought.

* * *

A few minutes later, Izuku and Uraraka were planning their retrieval of the bomb. Thankfully, he was in 'thinking mode' so talking to her came easy. There was an objective to focus on, rather than her bodysuit.

"Hey, Midoriya-kun, I've heard Bakugo-kun call you 'Deku'. Do you two know each other?"

He looked down. "We've known each other since we were kids. Our mums know each other, so that always put us together." They were good friends at the start. "Kacchan was amazing. He lead us all in heroes and villains, and he was one of the first to get a quirk in the class. He learnt kanji pretty quick too, that's where I got the name Deku. Useless."

He expected her to show him pity, something he didn't want. Instead, she grasped his hand. "Useless? Really? I thought he meant Deku as in 'you can do it'! It suits you a lot better! At least, that's what I think of your Deku."

His hand felt like it was on fire. So was his face. "Th-then you can call me Deku too!" He squoze his eyes shut.

"Okay then, Deku-kun!"

He opened his eyes and looked into hers. She was smiling, and her chocolaty eyes were kind. He looked at their hands. So did she.

Quickly, they separated, faces red. "W-we should th-think of an entrance strategy!" He stuttered.

"Y-yes we should!"

They gave each other a few seconds to cool off. "I'll go through the front door," he said.

"Eh?"

"Kacchan will come looking for me. I know he will. We… have a score to settle."

Uraraka nodded knowingly. "A fated battle between men!"

Kind of. It was a long time coming. "I want you to float around the building, and try to find the room with the bomb in it."

"What if it's not by any windows?"

"I'll still be searching the indoor rooms. According to the plans, there are eight rooms per floor; four by windows, four inside. I'll check them whilst hiding from Kacchan. We'll keep each other updated."

"Okay," she said, "there's just one thing: what about Todoroki-kun?"

Izuku put a hand to his chin. "I'm not sure. We don't know exactly what his quirk does, or what its limits are. All I can guess is that he'll be forced to defend, Kacchan won't sit around. I'd try to sneak around him, or at least stay out of sight and I'll try to meet up with you."

She nodded.

"Hero team, begin!"

Katsuki set for the door. "Where are you going?"

He didn't look back. "I'm going to beat the shit out of Deku, and you ain't gonna stop me, Half-Half!"

Katsuki heard a sigh before he left the room. Nothing was going to get in the way of his fight with Deku. Not even that floaty girl he was with.

He would settle the score once and for all and show Deku that he really was useless.

It was a maze inside. Corridor after corridor of dark concrete that left little room to move. If Kacchan caught him, there would be no room to avoid his explosions. That was why Izuku had to be quiet and careful until they found the bomb.

"Nothing on the ground floor." Uraraka's voice was so close!

"I didn't find anything either. Moving up one."

He just finished checking a room when he heard the sound of boots scraping against the floor.

"Deku…" Ice shot through him. He turned.

Kacchan was hard to see under the dim light, but the tiny pops on his hands illuminated his face. His teeth were bared and his eyes were glowing.

Izuku ran.

"Don't you run away from me, Deku!" He felt the heat of an explosion as he rounded the corner. "Deku!"

"Deku-kun! Did Bakugo-kun find you?"

He pressed his earpiece. "Yeah. You found the bomb yet?"

Another explosion.

"No, not yet, but I'll keep looking!"

A wall next to him exploded. As rock peppered him, Izuku was grabbed and thrown to the floor. He bounced off the concrete and managed to right himself in time to duck another explosion. It was then, through the smoke, Izuku saw Kacchan's right cross.

Remembering the counter he wrote in his book, Izuku closed the distance, grabbed Kacchan's arm and threw him over his shoulder. There was no time to see its effectiveness as the world lit up in front of his face.

The next thing he knew, he was in another room, broken concrete covering him. Kacchan's form was silhouetted by the hole in the wall; the hole Izuku's body made when he flew through it. At least the bomb wasn't in the room.

"That was a nice trick there, Deku! But it won't happen again! Now stand up and fight!"

Izuku barely managed to raise his arms before he was blown back again, right through another wall. Thankfully his quirk made him extra durable, although there was a little sting on the back of his head. If he was another person, he would be knocked cold already. Or dead.

He got up and ran again, Kacchan shouting behind him. At least he was giving away his position.

He wondered how much time they had left as he sprinted up the next set of stairs.

"Deku-kun, I've found the bomb!"

She was on the third floor, digging her fingers into the grooves between the bricks. She was floating a circle around the floor when she saw a flash of red. She pulled herself back, taking cover away from the window.

"Deku-kun, I've found the bomb!" She said into her earpiece.

"Where is it?" He replied.

Pulling out the blueprints tucked between her belt, she scanned the third floor. "Room 7!"

"And Todoroki-kun?"

She peered through the window again and saw him leaning against the huge bomb. "He's just standing there…" It was intimidating. It was like he didn't care.

"Try to sneak in behind him. The windows open from the outside." There was an explosion. "Just keep in touch!" The last thing she heard was Bakugo shouting before the line cut off.

She was worried, but she knew Deku could pull through. He was too strong to be beaten so easily. Right now, though, she had an infiltration to do.

Lowering herself below the widows, she crawled around the building until she was behind Todoroki. She took another look before she carefully opened the window, making sure that he wasn't paying attention.

Slowly, keeping her eyes on him, she put her feet through the window and slid her way through. Then, a few centimetres off the floor, she 'released'.

And landed with a crunch.

She cringed.

Todoroki turned to her. "So you came through the window. That's why I iced the floor." Ochako looked down and saw ice lining the edge of the room. "I'm sorry, Uraraka-san. I'll make this quick." She saw the capture tape dangle from his hand.

Quicker than she could blink, a path of ice shot out from Todoroki's right foot and encased her feet. She pressed her earpiece. "Deku-kun, I'm trapped! Todoroki-kun is coming for me!"

"Don't worry about it!" Deku grunted. "I'm in position! Make yourself weightless!"

She closed her eyes and pressed her fingers together.

"Deku!"

How did Kacchan keep finding him?

"Why're you running, Deku?! You said you wouldn't take my shit anymore, so what the hell are you doing?!" Izuku looked over his shoulder and saw Kacchan propelling himself through the air, gaining on him. Izuku was going to get caught.

When he was in range, Kacchan's arm went for another swing. Izuku stopped, stood his ground, and went for the same maneuver again. At the last second Kacchan pulled his arm back, instead throwing a left that connected with Izuku's face. The force made him stumble back, but he managed to keep his legs in time for a explosion to his side.

Something massive struck his gut and winded him. As Izuku coughed on the floor, Kacchan stood over him, his hand raised. It was shaking.

"Why aren't you fighting back, Deku? You looking down on me again? Was all that shit you said a lie?!"

He kicked Izuku's face.

"Was it?!"

A kick to the stomach.

"N-no," Izuku said through his teeth.

"Then why are you holding back?! We all saw what you did in the tests yesterday! You even took my number one spot in the entrance exams! So why are you fucking around?!"

Izuku pushed himself up on shaky arms. Blood was dripping from his forehead, running down his face. "B-because… ever since that day…"

" _I'm not going to let you bully me anymore, Kacchan!"_

 _They were playing in the park like usual during the summer. Once again, they were following Kacchan around, obeying his orders like the sidekicks they were. Once again, Kacchan took the game too far and went to town on one of their classmates who he deemed the 'villain' for the day._

 _Once again, Izuku stepped in to take the hits in the kid's place. He could take them. Except this time, he was thinking about what his councillor said: that he should try to do different things; try to change what made him feel bad or nervous. Kacchan made him feel both, so he would change it._

 _Kacchan looked confused. "Eh? What was that, Deku?"_

" _I-I s-said I don't like you bullying me. I want you to stop!" His fists were clenched, but his knees were shaking._

 _Kacchan's face twisted. He cracked his knuckles like those guys on TV did. "Make me, Deku. You're useless for a reason!"_

 _Izuku didn't know what happened next. It went too fast. All he felt was his collar being grabbed and he didn't want that to happen. So he grabbed it._

 _Kacchan screamed and fell to the floor, holding his left hand. He was crying, clenching his jaw to not let any screams out._

" _Katsuki, are you okay?!"_

 _The other kids crowded around. When Kacchan let go of his hand, people flinched back, screaming._

" _Someone get an adult. That looks bad!"_

 _His fingers were bent in ways they shouldn't have. His thumb was snapped halfway back and the look of sheer pain on his face made Izuku sick. It was like a nightmare. As the kids around them went back and forth, running for help and talking between themselves, Izuku and Kacchan were still._

"Ever since that day…" Izuku got to his feet. He was in one of the window rooms, just like he planned. "Ever since that day, I didn't want to use my quirk on anyone ever again! That's why even though you hit me, stole my shoes, burned my notes, and called me names, I never hit back!" He curled his fist. "I didn't want to see that look on your face again!"

Kacchan readied himself as Izuku put up his own guard.

"I've been running because I needed to be sure that I'm at the right strength! All this time I've been on Usagi-chan level. I needed to find a balance. Now I know what level I need to beat you with!"

Kacchan growled. "You're not even going all out on me?!"

"I'm sorry, Kacchan… but you can't take my one hundred percent."

Just like all those years ago, Kacchan's face twisted into pure fury. His hands exploded without control. "The fuck did you just say?!" He raised his arm, pointing it forward like a cannon. "If you won't take me seriously…" His finger hooked around a hoop. It was then Izuku figured out that the grenade gauntlets weren't just for show. "Then I'll make you!"

"Deku-kun, I'm trapped! Todoroki-kun is coming for me!"

A glow came from the barrel of the cannon. "Don't worry about it, I'm in position! Make yourself weightless!"

The pin was pulled. "Die, Deku!"

Izuku let out a breath, and _moved_.

He sprinted low as the explosion seared overhead. Within a second he was beneath Kacchan, looking at his shocked face. "D-Deku!"

He clenched a fist. "Sorry, Kacchan!"

He uppercutted Kacchan's stomach.

The force launched the boy through the ceiling as Izuku followed him with a jump. They were right where he planned: under the room of the bomb.

Turning in the air, he saw Todoroki stumble back, covering his eyes. Uraraka was next to him. Izuku reached towards her and she grabbed his hand. As gently as he could at his current strength, he threw her towards the bomb.

Ice raced towards her, spiking from the ground, but it was too late. She reached the bomb and hugged it.

"Hero team, victory!"

Then gravity caught up to them. Izuku was the first to land back on the lower floor, quickly followed by Kacchan. On instinct, Izuku caught him before he hit the floor. Kacchan pushed himself out of Izuku's grip.

"Get the fuck away from me, Deku."

"Kacchan…"

"I don't want to hear it."

They stayed in silence until the medibots came.

* * *

"Must you always be so reckless?!" Recovery Girl was fussing over him while he sat in a chair. He was sure she would have smacked him in the back of the head if he didn't have an injury there. Apparently there were only so many walls he could break through before they broke him. "I made sure to let your mother know about your condition, with a picture to go with it."

Oh no.

"And those bruises you gave Bakugo-kun were huge."

They both looked like they went through the wringer. Kacchan went away with massive bruises on his stomach and back, as well as a small injury on his head. Izuku, on the other hand, had a large cut on his forehead from when Kacchan kicked him; a laceration on the back of his head; several bruises; burned skin; and some of his hair singed off when he dodged Kacchan's cannon.

"If this was any other time, I would scold you for not controlling your quirk. But today I'll congratulate you." He looked at her, surprised. "As much as it annoys me with how many people get wheeled into here, the purpose of the school is to train you. You won't learn anything by being hand held." She finished up the stitching on his head. "That being said-" she flicked his ear "-I better not see you around here any time soon. Am I understood?"

He nodded, cradling his ear. "Absolutely!"

"Good. Now head on home. Your mother will be worried."

"Okay," he said, "I hope you'll be around this weekend. Mum's making a stew."

"I'll try my best," Recovery Girl replied. "Oh, your friends dropped by earlier and told me they had to head home. They wished you well."

Izuku smiled before leaving. As he was walking along the corridor, he looked out the windows to watch the setting sun. There, heading towards the entrance of UA, was Kacchan. His head was low, and he had a slight limp.

Izuku had to know if he was okay, so he rushed his way outside. "Kacchan!" he shouted.

The boy stopped. "What do you want, Deku?"

His voice was strange. The growl that lay in the back of all his words was gone. "Are you okay, Kacchan?"

"Deku." Kacchan turned and Izuku gasped. Tears were rolling down his cheeks and his ever present scowl was twitching. "I'll beat you one day, Deku. I'll push you to the point where you'll take me seriously! I'll take you down at your full power, so you can know that you're just a pebble on my path. I'll become number one, Deku!"

"Kacchan…"

"So stop looking at me with those eyes, Deku, or else I'll tear them out!" Kacchan turned. "Idiot! Shithead! Useless!" He yelled as he stomped away.

Even though he was a little intimidated at the challenge, Izuku smiled. He finally felt equal with Kacchan. It made him feel lighter. He could finally leave that day behind.

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you for reading! Would have had this chapter out sooner, but the internet's been down for a couple of days. Caught up on my reading, started my own book, and watched some films; mostly martial art stuff, but I couldn't resist watching wall.e for the first time in ages. I don't think Pixar have done a better film yet, maybe apart from Up. If anything, animation has gone down. Just look at the emoji movie, or don't. You wouldn't want your eyes spontaneously combusting.

Again, feedback is appreciated in any form and I will see you in the next chapter.

Also, I'm sure you're all aware of my Britishness from my spellings and stuff. If me using 'torch' instead of 'flashlight' brought to mind an old-fashioned fire on a stick, don't worry about it. It only makes the thing funnier.


	7. Panic! At the School

_Danger_.

His instincts screamed the word. There was a dark aura in the air that pressed his skeletal frame, pushing him closer to his demise. Fighting his body, he reached for the door handle and gave it a twist. His hopes of it being locked were shattered as it swung open.

There, in the centre of the room, lay the source of the maleficent aura; raw killing intent.

" **Yagi Toshinori…** "

It was too late for him to flee.

" **You are brave, coming here. Or foolish.** "

The chair turned and the creator of the nightmare came to light. Her smallness and old age did nothing to her sharp glare. She got off the chair and stomped to him, cane tapping on the floor.

" **Tell me, Yagi,** " she said, "just what were you thinking?!" Her cane whacked his head.

"Ow!"

"Don't you 'ow' me, mister! That's only a taste of what those kids went through!" She hit his shin next. He hissed and hopped on his foot, cradling his left leg. Shuzenji continued. "I can't believe you were so irresponsible! Bakugo-kun was black and blue, and don't get me started on Midoriya-kun."

He hung his head. "I'm sorry…"

She poked his chest. "Sorry doesn't cut it. You're a teacher now and these kids are under your care. You can't let them do this to themselves, successor or not!"

She was right.

The whole fight Toshinori was gripping the microphone, ready to call an end to the fight. Bakugo was being brutal, even if Midoriya had been holding his own at the very start. When the first specks of blood showed, the safety regulations that had been drilled into him by Nedzu and Shuzenji were blaring in his head.

It was All Might who silenced them. _They need this_ , he told Toshinori. _Hero work won't cut them any slack_. _The others need to see this too, to put the pressure on them, to show them what is expected of them._

 _Especially him._

He argued back that they were just children, that they had time to grow, but he wasn't in charge at that point. The hero side of him had taken over and he was forced to watch as his son was battered until he clenched the victory. Indeed, they had learned a lesson that day, they all did: to never give up, that the fight was never over until the end.

The other teams had done well afterwards, but he forgot to impart the lesson he should have done: combat in close quarters. He forgot that before he was the powerhouse that was All Might, he was a student too. His skills weren't naturally born, or given to him by One For All, they were learnt, ingrained into him through his teacher and his time at UA. Being able to handle any situation in seconds had numbed him of all the nuances of hero work.

It seemed he would be learning with the children.

"You're right, Shuzenji-san. I'm sorry."

She searched his eyes. "You're lucky Nedzu has that sadistic streak in him. Any normal principal and you'd be called in."

"I know." The shame was evident in his voice.

She touched his arm, her voice gentler. "I know you're not used to this, but you have to remember that these kids aren't heroes. Not yet. Even Midoriya-kun has his limits, no matter what he has to live up to."

Toshinori thought of the boy, of how much he shared with his mother. Midoriya looked nothing him. Although he should be thankful for that; someone with a similar quirk and features to him would be sure to raise questions. But he couldn't help but think: "If he found out… how would he react?"

"Do you plan on telling him?"

Would he? "Maybe one day. He needs to larn of One For All at the very least. For now, I'm going to take your advice and leave it be. He's struggling enough as it is." Although Toshinori saw his conviction in the mock battle, both before and after the boy was a nervous wreck. It wasn't obvious until you looked at his eyes. They were always shifting, never locking onto something for more than a second before flitting away. Human contact made him flinch too.

Indeed, Midoriya Izuku had a long way to go before he was ready for the truth.

Shuzenji chuckled. "Well, at least you're taking one piece of my advice seriously."

He laughed himself. "I'm going to head home now, Shuzenji-san." He bowed.

She nodded back. "Goodbye, Toshinori-kun. Don't forget to take your tablets."

"I will." Not like he could forget. At least he was back to 'Toshinori-kun', rather than 'Yagi'. He was lucky at her quick turn around. God knew how long she could keep a grudge for.

* * *

"Oh my goodness! Izuku, my baby, what happened?!"

Izuku was smothered as soon as he got home. Even Usagi-chan was hopping at his leg. His mother pulled back and held him by his cheeks, turning his head left and right. Her worried frown grew.

"What are they putting you through in that school?"

"It's fine," he said through mushed cheeks. "It was just hero training. I had to fight Kacchan and - "

"Katsuki-chan?" Inko stepped back and went for the phone hanging on the wall. "I'll call them right now."

Izuku held her back. "No! It's fine! I hurt Kacchan pretty bad too!" She put the phone back, surprised. "We had to do a mock battle between heroes and villains. Kacchan knocked me around… but I beat him! I won!" He looked her in the eyes. "So there's no need to call. I already sorted it on my own."

Her eyes welled with tears. "Izuku…" She crushed him in a hug. "Izuku! My baby's growing up!"

Izuku blushed. "M-mum, please…"

"Chiyo-san patched you up well though, right?"

"Y-yeah, I can't even feel it anymore."

She gave him another once over. "If you say so…" She released him. He bent down and picked up Usagi-chan, the rabbit immediately becoming comfortable in his arms. He tickled the spot between her ears that he knew she loved. "I'm going to put dinner on, Izuku. Just sit down and take it easy."

"Will do." There was no homework to do after all. Maybe he could update his entry on Uraraka. He unzipped his bag and pulled out his _Hero Notebook No. 13_ , flipping it onto the most recent page. It briefly highlighted Uraraka's quirk and abilities with it. He added a couple of bullet points about her levitation and included some applications that he would expand on at a later date. All that was left was a drawing to accompany it.

Izuku didn't have a photographic memory, but his attention to detail kept the most important bits. This helped with his sketches, since he could fill in the proportions around the critical parts.

As his pencil skimmed the paper, Uraraka's smiling face came into shape. Her ever-present blush on her rounded cheeks, her smile, her chestnut hair. He kept the visor out of her uniform so that her eyes shone through. He smiled as he was brought back to before the battle, when she held his hand and blew through years of name calling in an instant.

"Oh, who's that?" His pencil snapped in his hand. "She's cute! Is she someone you know?"

Izuku blushed. His mother knew he write notes on anybody he could. Soon his entire class would be in notebooks. Why was she so interested in this one?

"Ohhhh, I _see_."

"She - she's a friend!" Usagi-chan hopped out of his arms.

"I didn't say she was anything else."

"Y-you implied it!"

"I didn't imply anything, Izuku. Why are you getting so defensive?"

"Because you're giving me that look!"

"What look?"

"That one!"

"Mou, Izuku, you're paranoid. You're trying really hard to hide your girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend!"

"Sure~"

" _Mum_ …"

"Could you set the table? Dinner's ready."

How Izuku didn't burst into flames that night, he never knew.

* * *

The word had been spread all over the country that All Might was teaching at UA, and the vultures of the press had descended. The sight of them shoving a microphone at any student who went in made Izuku shake. He wasn't good with crowds, and he didn't want to be on camera! He'd just have to give a lame enough response that they would leave it out the news.

"Deku-kun!"

It was strange to hear his nickname spoken without a snarl and a curse. Uraraka came up beside him. "G-good morning, Uraraka-san!" His mother's teasing voice floated through his head and he blushed.

Uraraka smiled. "I can't believe how many people are here… I'm super nervous. Do we answer them or just keep walking?"

"It'd be rude if we didn't…" he replied.

Regardless, they continued. As soon as they got to the gate, all eyes were on them. A woman with a black ponytail stepped up to them, microphone in hand. "What is All Might like as a tutor?!"

Both Izuku and Uraraka leaned back. The woman sounded hysterical!

"Ano…" Uraraka shuffled from side to side. "He's - He's very muscular!"

 _Nice conviction, Uraraka-san!_

He had to match it! "He's cool!"

The reporters said nothing. In fact, they seemed a little deflated. "Uh… Thanks, I guess," the woman said.

They took the opportunity to leave. Bakugo's shouts could be heard as they entered the school.

Mostly everyone was there when they got to class. Tokoyami, Todoroki and Yaoyorozu were sat quietly in the corner as Ashido, Kaminari, Kirishima and Asui crowded around a desk, chatting. "Let's go talk to the others, Deku-kun," Uraraka said, dragging him by the arm.

"W-wait, Uraraka-san!"

They caught the attention of Ashido. "Oh hey, Midori! You look like you've been dragged through a hedge backwards!"

"M-Midori?" Another nickname?!

"Yeah. I mean, I called you green dude before. Might as well shorten it to 'green'."

"You're making him red, Ashido-chan," Asui croaked, pointing at him. "You get nervous easily, don't you Midoriya-kun?"

Why was she so blunt? An arm hooked around his neck. "Like hell he does!" Kaminari said, pulling Izuku closer, "This guy is manly! You don't get nervous, right, buddy?"

"Eh… buh - ah…"

They talked for a little longer, moving on to the mock battles the day before. Of course, Uraraka and himself were showered with compliments, only Asui saying that Izuku was reckless and foolish with his plan. Kaminari objected to that, saying 'an all out guy like myself understands what Midoriya was doing!'.

It was at that point Jirou walked past and quipped 'that's the only thing you understand, Kaminari.'

He was about to retort when Aizawa walked in. No words were needed as they went to their seats, waiting for the day's trial.

"I know this seems a little rushed, but it's time for you to pick a class president."

The class erupted. In the cacophony of shouts and raised hands, Aizawa merely watched, reaching for his sleeping bag. It was Iida who saved the class, proposing a voting system. The conclusion of which brought Izuku's nightmares to reality.

"Right, so that makes Midoriya class president, with Yaoyorozu as vice president."

Yaoyorozu bowed beside him while he was frozen on the spot. He wouldn't have been up there if it weren't for her dragging him up. Kacchan was swearing up a storm, Uraraka ws whistling and Ashido was giving him a thumbs up. Iida was twitching in his seat. "It was the right choice… the right choice… the right choice…"

"You can sit down now. We'll go over your battle results." After they were sat, and Izuku's heartbeat had slowed, Aizawa continued. "Bakugo, your too reckless. Not only did you destroy your own hideout, you let your anger and bravado blind you. Nevertheless, you're good. Just work on your focus."

It was a testament to Aizawa's power as a teacher that he could get away with criticising Kacchan. If they were still in middle school, the teacher would be cowering in fear after being threatened.

"Midoriya, your plan was clever, but poorly executed. There were several other ways you could have reached the objective, such as Uraraka floating you both to the top and working your way down. Also, the damage you took was inexcusable. Just because you can get hit, doesn't mean you should. Avoiding an attack is always better than taking it."

Izuku nodded. He couldn't just keep taking hits anymore. Punches on the playground were manageable, but in the world of heroes and villains, people were out to hurt him, or kill him. He had a lot to learn before he was ready.

* * *

Aizawa was enjoying his sandwich in the staff room. It was delivered to the school in the morning, with a little greeting card that had a crappy joke in it. It wasn't the first time she'd done something like this. The first few times he opened up boxes that blew confetti in his face. He never bothered getting in touch with her to complain, it's what she wanted.

One day, however, the box was a nicely made bento. Ever since then he got lunches of different types. It didn't get her a thanks when they met, he had a reputation to maintain, and she would fly off the handle if she knew she'd gotten to him. Instead, he backed off on the isults a bit and actually had some conversations with her.

She was a crappy comedian and she was far too loud for his liking, but she was one hell of a cook.

He went for another bite when the alarm blared.

Aizawa threw down his sandwich and put on his goggles, the rest of the faculty arming themselves as well. Someone had gotten in the school.

Nedzu gave them sections to investigate as he kept his eye on the cameras. Whoever they were, they came from the front of the school. As Aizawa ran for the front wall, he noticed the students were panicking. He cursed. They could end up trampling each other!

As much as he wanted to help, he had a job to do. The other teachers could handle the students. The last thing he saw was Iida jetting himself through the air.

When Aizawa got to the breach, his eye twitched.

Reporters. Damn reporters!

There could be a villain hidden amongst them and he'd never know!

"Oi, you damn rats!" He activated his quirk and hovered his capture gear. "Line up against that wall. The principal will be down soon to ask you some questions."

They obeyed him immediately. Aizawa was glad him intimidating edge hadn't faded.

"I-It's not our fault!" a woman with a microphone said, "there was a hole in the barrier. And you guys were holding out on us! We just had to take a look!"

"Tch. You're like flies to shit. Tell me where the breach is."

* * *

Izuku was definitely living the dream. So was Uraraka, judging by how she was hopping from foot to foot. In front of them was Space Hero Thirteen, and they were standing in the USJ! Izuku has always wanted to visit, but the tickets were quite expensive. Now they could use it for training!

"I'm sure you are all aware of my quirk: Black Hole," he said.

"Yes, it has saved many lives in rescue situations!" Iida exclaimed.

"Indeed it has, but my quirk is easily one that can kill. Some of you have quirks like that, don't you?" Izuku's jaw clenched. "In this world of regulated quirks it might not seem that way, but the fact is some people have quirks that can easily kill with the wrong step. With Aizawa-san's test, you learned the limits of your quirk and how to adapt to them. With All Might-san's combat training, you learnt what it's like to use your quirk against others and the danger that brings.

"With me, I hope that you learn your quirks are there to save lives, not to harm others with. That is why you are at UA, to learn how to help people and become the best heroes you can be. Thank you for listening!"

It was a good speech which everyone cheered to. For Izuku, he found that he wasn't the only one who struggled with his quirk. All those years of wallowing in self pity, resigning himself to a lonely existence; all the while Thirteen was dealing with his destructive power and turning it into the greatest tool for saving people in disasters. Izuku really was pathetic.

"Alright, let's start wi - " Aizawa was cut off.

Electricity arced around the dome, cutting out the lights. The fountain started spurting erratically as something in the air shifted.

Aizawa turned and Izuku saw for the first time a different expression on his teacher's face: shock. The sight put Izuku on edge.

"Thirteen, protect the students!"

A purple miasma spread across the courtyard. "Hey, is this like the entrance test? Has the training already started?" Kirishima asked. One by one, figures of all shapes and sizes emerged from the mist. "Who are they?" he said nervously.

Izuku stepped to take a closer look. "Stay back!" Aizawa bit. He pulled his goggles up. "Those are villains."

 _Villains?! Here?!_

A tremor went through the class. Izuku was shaking.

As the villains kept coming, a true monster appeared. It stood metres above the rest and was jet black. It followed behind a man who was covered in hands. He raised his arms.

" **Everyone! Let the game begin!** "

Aizawa leapt.

* * *

 **AN:** Another filler chapter done. That's all I have to say about this one. It's not the reason why I skim over a lot of stiff from the anime though. I missed out the whole conversation about class president and such because you've all seen it before and it can be a drag to read it all again.

Anyway, thank you for the reviews, and thank you for reading! I love to hear your feedback, so keep it coming.

I hope you all had a good holiday season! I know it can be a bit of a bad time around now for some, with all the adverts and stuff and the idea of excess. Not all of us can afford a 'regular' Christmas after all. But regardless, I hope you've had a good holiday season and I wish you all a happy new year, where the battle of USJ will begin.

I want to thank you all for reading this year, and sticking with the story during its shaky start. Last time I checked, we hit over 10,600 views, which is incredible, with people all over the world reading. I find it amazing when people from non-English countries reads my stuff. I'm sorry you don't have anything better to read xD, but I admire your skill at languages.

Speaking of my stuff, I'm going to plug my new story: **Angel for All**. It's an Ochako-centric AU which is rated M (Originally T, but it disappeared for some reason even though there wasn't much graphical violence. I bumped it up a rating and it reappeared, strangely enough). It's a lot more sombre than this fic and it will be significantly darker. I'd like to hear what you think of it.

That fic is the reason it took so long to update this one and I will be alternating between the two when I get bored of one. For example, I'm probably going to finish the USJ battle which will be about two chapters, then I'll probably do a few chapters of AfA.

AN over. Go have fun now. Enjoy the new year! Have fun at any parties you're at!


	8. Battle of USJ

He'd show them a game.

Aizawa landed on a villain, sending out his capture gear and grabbing two more. Using the villain he landed on as a spring, he jumped high into the air, taking the villains with him. At the apex of his jump, he flipped and released his hold, flinging the villains into the army. That bought him enough time to get a clear landing zone.

Something came whipping towards his left. He widened his eyes and stared, the elongated appendage wilting to the ground. He grabbed it and yanked. A man stumbled towards him, off balance, his droopy face in shock as Aizawa span and kicked his head.

Keeping his momentum, Aizawa reached out again and wrapped his scarf around the legs of a large, deformed villain and pulled. He was just as top heavy as he looked as he fell backwards, trapping his friends underneath.

Aizawa quickly pulled back his gear before it was grabbed.

Now that the element of surprise was gone, as well as his momentum, the villains were starting to regroup and encircle him. There were dozens, maybe even a hundred. He had never fought so many before, but he was a specialist in group fighting for a reason. He knew that, because of their quirks, some weren't able to fight shoulder to shoulder with each other. Aizawa also knew from a glance that these villains were just street thugs thrown together at the last minute. That made them predictable and stupid.

He heard a click and he rolled to the side, a bullet whizzing past. He activated his quirk and stared, a villain spitting out water instead of another bullet. As most did when their quirk stopped working, the villain panicked.

"What the hell is this guy?!"

Others weren't as hesitant as they charged Aizawa, roaring as they approached. A viscous black smoke spilled from a villain's mouth, spilling onto the ground and rolling towards Aizawa. The other villains didn't seem to be negatively affected, so it wasn't poisonous. Good, he could use that.

His goggles weren't just to keep his eyes moist, they also protected them; a thin veil of plastic between the bars was enough to resist acid, quick changes in light, and smoke. However, they didn't improve his sight any. One run with an experimental interface was enough to put him off the idea forever.

The smoke engulfed him and he was immediately assaulted. A villain with scissors for hands emerged from the smoke, swinging wildly. Aizawa leaned back and countered during the villain's overextension, thrusting a palm into his jaw and breaking it.

The next villain came in low. He was a small man whose mouth grew as he got closer. By the time it was done, Aizawa couldn't see the man's body, and he was looking into the jaws of a shark. A dangerous quirk. He canceled it and the villain was back to normal before he knew what happened. Aizawa kicked him in the face and sent him back into the smoke.

Three showed up at the same time and Aizawa fell back. It was time to move.

He whipped the capture gear in front of their faces, giving him a chance to jump over them. Their backs were still to him when he struck the middle's legs. Just as he was turning, Aizawa elbowed the right's ribs before side-kicking the left in his stomach, sending him to the floor. Aizawa took a half step back, avoiding the grasp of the right villain before countering with a reverse punch to his already injured ribs. The villain stumbled back as the middle one got to his feet.

Blades erupted from his elbows as he turned and Aizawa barely dodged the slash. The villain continued in a berserking flurry of slices, spinning and jumping as he tried to close the distance. Aizawa could only backpedal, cursing as the fight dragged on. They didn't know his knew position, but the sounds of the scuffle would draw them soon enough.

The villain jumped again and Aizawa seized the opening. His capture gear caught the man's legs as the other end seized an approaching villain by the head. He pulled and they fell, slamming their heads against the floor and knocking them out cold. A little more force and they would have been dead, he reminded himself.

He was ready to slip back into the fog when a mighty wind blew, clearing the area. It came from a large man with a massive stomach, who was holding the limp smoke villain under his arm.

One by one, the villain's eyes fell upon Aizawa, and this time he was truly encircled. He moved further forward than he thought, and the villains were scattered about the plaza, obviously trying to find him.

Like he was prey, they stalked forward. He scanned the mob, looking for an exit; if he could get them all back into his sights again, he would have an easier time. There. Towards the stairs the group was thin and seemed to have quirks that were less of a nuisance than the others.

He darted and the mob sprang.

He would only have a few seconds. The first had crowbars for forearms, and seemingly for a brain too as he raised his arms for an overhead strike. Aizawa was faster, jumping up and side-kicking him in the chest. He rode the man's body as it slid against the ground, hopping off to duck an attack and staring at a man who was preparing a fireball in his hand.

The flame extinguished and Aizawa used the villain as a missile to slow down his pursuers. It worked, as he passed by the final villain easily.

Turning, he faced the army again. They were bunched together, their mismatched bodies compressing as they all tried to rush him. They soon got the message that they weren't going anywhere and backed off.

They were back to where they started, a few of their number less.

Aizawa took a deep breath. He couldn't afford to lose control of his breathing just yet. Later, he wouldn't have a choice, but for now he would keep his breathing calm.

 _The big guy hasn't moved yet. Neither has the leader. What are they waiting for?_

"Mah, this trash mob is pretty annoying. Where's the boss?"

Whoever the leader was, he was young and immature, judging by his speech. Yet there was a layer of insanity under his voice that reminded Aizawa of some of the more hardcore villains he took down. The serial killers, the asylum escapees, the villains with a personal ideology. People who were twisted deep inside, who wanted to paint the world in their image.

Yes, the leader was immature, but he knew what he wanted and he would do anything to get it. The fact he didn't have this so called 'boss' would only drive him over the edge.

"The boss was supposed to be here! The damn cheat sheet said he'd be here!" He turned to the monster beside him. " **Where is All Might?!** "

The shout echoed through USJ.

He took some deep breaths and scratched his neck, clawing at the skin. He was mumbling something Aizawa couldn't hear. Then he stopped.

Through the hand that covered his face, through the hair that draped over his eyes, over the crowd of villains, he locked eyes with Aizawa.

"Well. I suppose we'll have to have some fun before he shows up. The blood of child heroes will make a great red carpet!"

Aizawa activated his capture gear. They wouldn't get to the kids.

Over his dead body.

* * *

Minutes before, the class of 1-A were torn between wanting to help, and fear.

Thirteen had quickly corralled them. "Quickly, to the exit!"

Due to the power surge, the doors had clamped themselves shut on an emergency lock. Thirteen was going to black hole the door off, when the purple mist appeared in front of them. They all halted.

"I'm afraid I can't have you running away. It wouldn't do if you were to ruin our plan."

The voice came from everywhere, but undoubtedly belonged to the villain in front of them.

"I don't give a shit about your damn plan!" Bakugo launched into the air, sending an explosion towards the mist. It did nothing, not even a ripple. He launched some more on the way down, to no effect.

"Pull back!" Thirteen yelled.

But it was too late.

The mist spread, covering the area and swallowing everyone. There were screams and yelps, questions and curses. One by one they were silenced.

Thirteen closed his eyes, stinging regret in his heart. He couldn't protect them.

Then the mist pulled back. Only a few students remained: those closest to the railings were hanging on for dear life. Thirteen did a head count.

Kirishima, Jirou, Ashido, Aoyama, Shoji, and Sato.

They were all that were left out of the whole class. Hatred pooled in his stomach.

"Kids! Communications are down! Head for the door and alert UA! The other heroes will come!"

They all nodded reluctantly, Kirishima and Sato the first to move. The rest of the class followed and the villain expanded again.

Thirteen pointed a finger and calculated the cone he would need so as not to harm the children. Finishing the maths, he popped open his fingertip. "Don't think I'll let you get away with that again! Black Hole!"

All of creation was pulled into his vortex. The wind swirled as is was strung out particle by particle. The mist began to be pulled too, stopping its advance towards the children. Then it changed shape. Scattered dots of purple became a disk, and Thirteen felt something pulling the back of his suit.

It was too late when he realised his quirk had been turned on him.

He couldn't stop the cry of pain as his back was torn away. In his fading vision, he saw the children stop and stare.

 _Run!_

They were screaming his name.

 _Run!_

Thirteen's world shifted. The ground rushed to meet him. His visor cracked on the ground and his vision went dark.

* * *

Ochako had plenty of experience with falling. Training her quirk had her making herself weightless a lot, so when she felt the familiar rush of wind brushing her face, and her stomach trying to jump its way out of her body, she tapped her fingers together and halted her flight.

When the ground below came into view, she saw a group of villains waiting below. They were eying her floating form, pointing and jeering. Something cold settled into Ochako's stomach. Her hairs stood on end as a shiver passed from her tiptoes to her scalp.

Down there were villains. Real life villains. All out to get her.

Death had never been so close.

Some voice in the back of her mind took control. She was in the earthquake zone. There were about fifteen villains in total. They couldn't reach her. She was safe.

The details came fast and put her body at ease. It wasn't until she heard a shout that she was alerted to a man leaping towards her, arms outstretched. He must have used a nearby peak in the rocks and mixed it with his kangaroo-like legs.

She put her arms out to protect herself when a rounded arrow slammed into his side and sent him off course.

"Uraraka-san! Over here!" She looked over to a raised platform of rock and saw Yaoyorozu waving her hand, a bow held in the other.

Ochako checked the villains again and saw the kangaroo guy recovering, hopping over to another peak for a second attempt. She couldn't stay in the air.

"Uraraka-san, fall!" Yaoyorozu was on the floor, her body shimmering. "I'll catch you!"

Ochako had no time to doubt her classmate as the villain prepared for another jump. He launched. She pressed her fingers together. The villain sailed overhead as she dropped like a rock, spiralling towards the ground. The wind stung her eyes and she wanted to throw up as the ground came ever closer.

From the corner of her eye, she saw a large net shimmer into existence from Yaoyorozu's back. She bundled it up and looked at Ochako, determined.

It was the face ochako wanted to see more than ever. It was a face that put her mind at ease. The net was thrown and Ochako moved fast. She tapped her hand before she impacted the net. As athletic as her classmate was, Ochako doubted she could handle the strain her fall would make. Next, she touched the net and made it weightless, allowing Yaoyorozu to pull her in easily. It was like she was being pulled back in from outer-space.

When she was hovering over the platform, she released her hold. As soon as she landed her classmate was holding her shoulders, making sure she was steady. "Are you alright, Uraraka-san?"

"You're a rich kid, aren't you?" Why was that the first thing she said?!

"Excuse me?" She sounded more confused than insulted.

"Sorry! It's just I heard your speech and - and - and I'm still a little shaky." Ochako finished the sentence wobbly, her breaths coming short and shallow. The past few seconds were catching up to her.

Yaoyorozu gave her a kind, elegant smile. "It is not a problem. Although you should recover soon, our position is compromised."

Ochako looked at the villains as they encroached. "They're really villains aren't they? This isn't a dream is it?" Ochako said.

"They are real villains," she said. Her voice turned teasing. "I can pinch you if you want though. Just to make sure this is not a dream."

Despite the situation, Ochako laughed. "No thanks, Yaoyorozu-san."

A quiet chuckle came from behind. Ochako's eyes snapped to the rock face, where she noticed Koda Koji huddled against the rock face. No wonder she didn't notice him at first, his shape and colour perfectly matched the surroundings. He looked terrified.

"Are you okay, Koda-kun?" she asked in the voice she used on the kids at the playground back home.

He nodded.

She smiled at him. "Good. Now we just need to figure a way out of he - "

" **Where is All Might?!** "

The group looked at each other, eyes wide.

"All Might?" Yaoyorozu said, "They came here for him?"

"They must be crazy," Ochako said. All Might would pummel them in seconds.

"Or they have a plan," Yaoyorozu stated. But who could plan against _All Might_? "Either way, we have our own problems. As far as I remember, the entrance to this zone is only accessible by a bridge. The rest is trenched off."

"I can float us over," Ochako suggested.

"You can, but that would put us on a course for the main plaza where the invasion force is. I could probably make something that could change our direction, but that would be too slow, and I have no doubt that the villains there are the most combat oriented ones."

Ochako was awed by her classmate's foresight. It was no wonder she got in by a recommendation.

"That is why I believe our best option is to secure this area and wait for the teachers. I am sure they will come to investigate the lack of contact."

Was she serious? How could they fight fully fledged villains? They were only students!

Hands were put on her shoulders and she was brought to the gaze of her classmate. Her steel-coloured eyes bore into her own. "Uraraka-san. I know this is scary. I'm barely holding it together myself. Koda-kun is scared too. But you cannot forget why we are here in the first place. We are here to learn how to be heroes. And heroes do not give up, no matter what! So stand up, Uraraka-san! Together, we can do this!"

They looked at each other for a little longer.

"Ochako."

"Hm?"

"You can call me Ochako."

Yaoyorozu smiled. "Okay, Ochako-san. You can call me Momo." She looked to the boy on the wall. "You too, Koda-kun."

He gave his crooked smile and nodded.

Hearts solid and souls steady, they stood to face the climbing villains below. "So how are we going about this, Momo-chan?"

She put a hand to her chin. "Hm. Koda-kun, can you remind me of your quirk?"

He tapped his fingers together nervously. "I can talk to creatures and ask them to do things…"

"Are there any nearby?"

He nodded his head, suddenly enthusiastic. "Yes! There are flies and ants and spiders all over!"

"Can you ask them to distract the villains for us?" He nodded again. "Ochako-san, how much can your quirk lift?"

"About three tonnes."

"Perfect. That gives you plenty of leeway." Momo closed her eyes. "Please wait a moment." She began to glow, the brightness increasing until it coalesced into a cannon. The object almost made Ochako fall flat. "Perfect," Momo said, quickly producing a cannon ball and a fuse.

"What do we need the cannon for?" Ochako asked as Momo began loading it.

"I plan to use this to finish off the villains in one foul swoop. And you are going to float us into position." She pushed the ball in and gave the machinery a once-over. She turned to Ochako with a strange smile. "Besides, cannons are fun, are they not?"

 _Is this a psychotic side?!_

"Koda-kun, can we have that distraction now, please?"

He knelt down to the floor and cupped a hand around his mouth. Ochako could barely see the ant he was talking to. After a few seconds of speaking, the bug scuttled away and Koda nodded.

Ochako went ahead and touched the cannon, immediately feeling the butterflies in her stomach. How heavy was this thing? She was almost at her limit!

"Ochako-san, get me ready too. I'll be firing."

She touched Momo's arm and she knew she was at her limit. Her stomach acids bubbled and she held down a retch. "R-ready!"

Momo peered over the edge, waiting. The villains were almost at the top. Then they stopped. A loud hum filled the air as a black swarm of flies descended, buzzing and biting at the villains who tried swatting them away.

"Ochako-san! Jump that way!"

She followed Momo's finger and jumped.

"Perfect!"

Slowly, they moved away from the rocky slope and Momo tilted the cannon. Her tongue stuck out a little as she aimed. Ochako heard her murmur 'perfect' under her breath as she lit the fuse. That strange smile came to her face again. Ochako shuddered.

"Fire!"

The shot slammed into the rockface and smashed the already loosened rubble. The ground rumbled and shook as one by one rocks fell from their fragile holdings. The villains found their support falling out from under them as they were buried in the landslide. Brown dust kicked high into the air.

The recoil from the shot sent them back, but it seemed Momo had this in mind as well, as they were guided towards a plateau nestled within a range of peaks. They bounced softly off the wall, and Ochako released them a few inches off the ground.

The cannon fell with a mighty _clunk_. Ochako flopped down with a _thud_. And Momo landed with the natural grace she always had.

They were panting, the adrenaline that flooded their system leaving them frazzled.

Ochako couldn't help it: she laughed. Momo followed soon after and the two found themselves lying on the floor next to a medieval cannon crying their eyes out as they held each other.

There was a small twinge in her stomach and she pushed Momo away. She rolled to her side and emptied her guts. She hadn't reached her weight limit in a long time. She had almost forgot the stinging sensation she would get in her throat after she threw up. She wished she could forget it. Forever.

With her head pressed to the ground, she felt a rumble in the earth. She gave it away as another disturbance caused by their cannon.

The behemoth of a man who erupted from the earth proved otherwise.

She tried backing away, but she felt weak. A look to her side saw that Momo was caught unawares too.

The villain smiled and raised a stone covered fist. Ochako closed her eyes.

And heard laughing?

She squinted and saw the villain hopping around, doing some sort of strange dance as he scratched all over himself. It was like he had ants in his -

Wait. Ants?

"Koda-kun…" Ochako whispered.

Momo was quick to recover and in a flash a metal bo staff was in her hands. In a fluid, precise strike, born from years of what Ochako presumed to be rigorous practice, Momo whipped her staff into the villain's temple, knocking him out cold.

When his body fell, she saw Koda's form come into view. He was smiling nervously, tapping fingers together like he so often did.

"Thank you, Koda-kun," she said. His smile widened and he nodded, flies buzzing around him until they dispersed. In that moment, surrounded by friends, she was happy to be alive.

" **Run, Iida!** "

Deku-kun?

* * *

Toru navigated the city ruins on swift and quiet feet. She had been traversing the maze of toppled building for what felt like hours, and even still she felt no closer to the exit. Villains were everywhere. She just avoided them, taking the advice of her father.

 _It is better to avoid engagement when you can._

Toru turned a corner and bumped into the back of a muscular villain.

 _If you can't, end it swiftly and efficiently. Leave no trace._

He turned, confused, and Toru's fist jabbed his temple and his jaw, knocking the man unconscious.

"Hey! What's wrong with ya?"

Toru weaved as she closed the distance. The man knew something was coming, but he wasn't sure quite what it was. His wild swing sailed over her head completely. Like a viper, her arm flicked out to his ribcage, and she felt a bone break beneath her knuckle. The man folded and she struck again; one to his jaw, another to his temple. The time between the strikes was non-existent.

The villain, like his friend, dropped like a rock. She was gone before he hit the floor.

 _A foolish mistake, Toru. Again, with effort this time!_

She shook her father's voice from her head. Yes, she made a mistake; she shouldn't have been rushing, but she corrected herself and adapted. Her training was still holding up. It was the situation she was in that fuzzed her mind, making her forget the crucial lessons like checking her corners.

This time she hugged the wall and peeked around the corner. She could see a villain on the street, a non-threat. Behind him was what she was looking for: the bridge out.

She was halfway across the street when she heard the sounds of fighting. The scuffle was coming from a nearby building that was about ten stories high. From what she could judge, it was taking place on the eighth floor, some insect-like villains crawling through the windows, with other malformed villains scaling the building. Others were going through the entrance. Toru counted around eight.

There was a flash of light and sparks flew from the window, tazing one of the bug villains and launching him into another building close by. The villain near her took notice of the light and started down the street. The guards at the bridge moved in too, and Toru knew that soon the building would be crawling with them.

 _You must always finish the mission, Toru. Even if others fall, even if you have nothing left, you must finish the mission._

Not this time, dad.

" _Toru, what the hell are you doing?!"_

" _The doggy was being hurt!"_

" _So you went back for it?! You have failed, Toru! Just like always! If your mother was here, she'd be disappointed in you. We'll run the simulation again and again until you get it right."_

" _But I'm hungry…"_

" _Then you should have thought of that before! Once more!"_

He wasn't watching her anymore. Her father's voice yelled at her to take the opportunity and flee. With her quirk and skills, she could make it to the USJ entrance and alert the school staff, the villains none the wiser. But that would mean leaving her friends behind and her own voice just wouldn't stand for it. She wasn't that six-year-old girl anymore. She was her own person.

Toru ran for the building.

She may not have the brute force of Shoji, or the speed of Iida, but there was one thing she prided herself on: precision. No matter the size of the opponent, a few critical strikes were enough to take them down. Sometimes it only took one.

Their backs were to her, and she struck.

Inside the back of the body was a nerve that, when struck, would lock the body in place for a minimum of fifteen minutes. It was at the base of the spine, buried beneath fat and muscle and well protected. Most pressure-point fighters never managed to hit the nerve. Toru was one of the few exceptions, as well as her father.

Every day, after simulations, she was placed in front of a dummy and told to hit the target. So she punched. She punched and she punched and she punched.

She punched through the tears. She punched until her knuckles bled. She punched until her hand broke. Every day for ten years she punched until her knuckles were as solid as steel and as callous as stone.

When the day came she finally hit the nerve and split the dummy in half, her father put a hand on her shoulder and said _well done_. She remembered being so happy she cried, finally getting love from her dad. The next day's training was harder than ever and made her vomit.

The first villain seized and fell. The second followed a second later. Then a third. And a forth.

The thumping of bodies made the others turn, and Toru had lost her openings. No matter, she would make her own. She threw the gloves off her hands and slipped out of her shoes.

Stones dug into her calloused soles, but she paid them no heed as the enemy lost sight of her.

She twirled behind a villain and took him down. Another followed. Soon enough, he villains stopped their advance on the building. "Group up!" One of them said, waving his arm. "It can't take us all ou - "

Her hand flicked back from his throat. A well-placed strike to his carotid artery made him pass out. The villains panicked and huddled together, expecting her to attack at any moment. She left them there in the street and entered the building.

She heard the faint yell of " **Where is All Might?!** " before the door closed.

When Toru got to the stairwell, she looked up and saw about a dozen villains on different levels, slowly making their way up the the eighth floor. She took the stairs two at a time, hopping over the banister when she reached a corner to cut time.

On the second floor she hopped onto a hulking man's back and chopped his neck, sending him down. The guy a few steps above noticed and she hit the side of his knee, causing him to tumble down the stairs and hit his head on the way down.

She cut her way through seven more villains until she finally reached the eighth floor. In the middle of the room, Ojiro, Kaminari and Sero were fighting around ten or so villains. They circled the boys cautiously, several of their friends out cold.

Ojiro was in a solid fighting stance, his tail coiled and ready to strike. Kaminari's hands were sparking as he grinned at the villains. Sero was smiling his toothy smile. It took her a second to realise some villains were taped to the ceiling and walls.

They were in a stalemate. One she would break.

When the first went down, the boys were startled. Ojiro was the first to recover, whipping out his tail to knock back a villain while he engaged another.

Kaminari moved next, charging towards a villain and grabbing his wrist. The following surge of electricity shut the man down and he fell with a slight smoke rising from his body.

Sero faught better than Toru thought he would. He used his right arm to tape his opponent's legs while he used his left to blind their eyes. When that was done the circled them, his tape trailing behind until their arms were stuck to their sides. All that was needed then was a simple push and they tumbled.

They fought together, Toru dispatching another two before the room was clear. There was a pause.

"Hagakure-san, is that you?" Ojiro asked.

She took a deep breath and put on the mask. "Yes, it's me! The amazing Toru! Are you guys okay?"

They were looking around the room, trying to find her gloves she imagined. Kaminari answered for them. "Yeah, we're fine. A couple of scrapes, but it's not too bad, right guys?"

"That's right!" Sero said.

Toru could see the rips on their clothes and various cuts that seeped blood. They were brave, she'd give them that. "I saw some villains climbing up the building."

"Taken care of," Sero answered.

"Are _you_ okay, Hagakure-san?" Ojiro asked.

A little out of breath, but she was unhurt. And a little chilly now that she had stopped moving, but it wasn't like they could see her bare body. The support course hadn't finished her hair-weaved suit yet, so she would have to make do with being naked. Not like the rest of her class knew.

"I'm fine! This is pretty scary though, right?"

"Indeed," he replied.

" **Run, Iida!** "

* * *

Shoto stared down the villains from the top of the landslide zone.

"Huh? Only one of 'em?"

"I was expectin' more!"

It was obvious that they were small time villains. All hot air.

"Why's he not moving?"

"Yeah, kid, we're gonna kill you!"

They truly meant it. If he didn't have Endeavor as a father, Shoto was sure he would be panicking a lot more. Instead, he felt his mother's power flow through him. It swirled and danced through his body, a silent lullaby that spoke of a gentleness long gone. Then he twitched his foot.

The energy spilled from his foot and froze everything in front of him. It turned the mud beneath solid and climbed up the villains, encasing them up to their heads. It was just at the right temperature where they wouldn't freeze to death.

He approached the first villain who spoke. The man was eying him with fear, desperately trying to pull away in his icey prison. "Tell me what you are doing here. Why invade USJ?"

"I-I ain't saying nothing! The boss'll kill me!"

Shoto touched the ice. "All I need to do is drop this a few degrees and you'll get pneumonia. A few lower than that and you'll get frostbite. It will not be quick."

"What the hell are they teaching you kids?!"

Crystals sprang from the area he was touching and the villain shuddered, feeling the sudden drop in temperature. "I'm still waiting."

"Fine, fine! I'll tell, I'll tell! Please stop!" Shoto was glad his bluff wasn't called. "We were told we could kill All Might."

Shoto's expression changed for the first time. He quickly masked it. "How? Why?"

"We weren't told much, but we guessed that big guy next to the boss will be the one to do it. As for why, that bastard's been giving us villains hell since he showed up. Every villain in the world wants him dead!"

So the jet black beast was their weapon? Shoto admitted the thing looked tough, but to compete with _All Might_? Nobody even knew what the hero's full power looked like. His short punches were enough to change the weather and buffet the wind, never mind a fully fledged punch.

But the villains wouldn't have gone through so much risk if they weren't well prepared. Whoever this 'boss' was had information on where All Might should have been, as well as a person who could beat him. Perhaps the beast had a quirk that specifically countered the raw power of All Might?

"So… you'll let me go now, right?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you don't have a choice!"

Shoto noticed the man's eyes focus on something behind him. He turned and saw a man lunging with a spear. He was fast, but not fast enough. Shoto stepped to the side and grabbed the pole, freezing it and the villain.

He would have stayed and made sure the villains didn't escape, but if what the villain said was true, then his class was in danger. A monster that could defeat All Might would easily best them all.

Even himself.

* * *

What the fuck was wrong with him? How the fuck did he keep ending up in this position: helpless and inferior, being one upped by fucking extras.

Katsuki smoldered as he knelt on the ship, soaked to the bone. The frog girl had gone back in the water for someone else she saw splashing around. He cursed.

He was useless! Fucking useless!

When the purple haze disappeared, he was in the water. The salt stung his eyes and he immediately took a breath, causing him to grasp his throat as he tried to cough the water back up and ended up breathing in more again and again and again.

Soemthing seized his heart. He knew he was going to die. His arms felt like noodles. His head felt light. Through his eyes he saw a blur getting closer. Instincts pulled his arm up to take aim. Instincts sent the pulse down his arm to light the fuse.

And there was nothing. Not even a pop.

Just before he was munched the frog girl pulled him out of the water with her weird tongue. When she placed him on board he pushed her away and fell to his hands and knees, vomiting up water and his lunch. She gave him a quick 'I'll be right back' and hopped off. Like it was nothing. Like she didn't just make him feel like shit.

With the air returning to his lungs, and the last of the water being spewed from his mouth, he felt the strength return to his limbs. So he punched the floor and sent a pulse through his arm. Nothing. He did it again. Nothing. Again.

Nothing.

It was fucking pathetic!

Just like a fucking tiny matchstick, his quirk didn't work when he was soaked. The water washed away his sweat, and because he was already covered in cool water, he had no need to sweat any more. If he did manage some all he would be able to make is firecrackers.

Pathetic!

"Bakugo, are you alright?"

He looked over his shoulder and glared at the frog girl. That little grape head shit was there too.

"Fuck off."

"You're not even the slightest bit polite, are you Bakugo?" she said. What made her think she could speak to him like that?

"Then don't talk to me expecting it."

"Wow, he's pretty edgy," the grape guy said to the frog girl. She nodded and hummed.

"The fuck was that?!"

He backed up, waving his hands. "It w-w-was nothing Bakugo-sama!"

Katsuki tutted. He decided to ignore them and looked over the railing into the fake sea. Several heads stared back, all sporting some kind of aquatic feature. In every way, the villains had the upper hand. So why weren't they attacking?

Would Katsuki be stuck on this damn ship waiting for someone else to rescue him?

Not if he had anything to say about it.

"Figured a way out, Bakugo?" A croak came from behind.

He gripped the railings tighter. "No," he said through clenched teeth.

"I just thought since you're so good that you'd have a plan already."

"Well I don't!" The confession shocked him as much as it did the others. "I don't have a fucking plan! My quirk's fucked, we're surrounded by villains adapted to the water, and I've almost drowned! I don't have a plan!"

The ship tilted and they were thrown off balance. "W-w-what was that?!" grape head shouted.

Katsuki managed to peer over the railing again and cursed at what he saw: a shark villain and a couple of others with crab claws were destroying the bottom of the ship, making it sink inch by inch. "They're trying to sink us."

"Oh no, oh no, oh no! We're dead! Dead! What the hell are villains doing here anyway?! This is crazy, this is - "

The frog girl smacked him in the face with her massive hand. "Mineta-kun. Shut up. If you panic then we really are dead. As heroes we need to take a stand and figure something out. We can't give up."

Katsuki had to agree with her there. All Might faced everything with a smile. He never lost no matter the odds. That's what made him number one. That's what would make Katsuki number one.

The thought brought clarity back to his mind. In his pathetic panic he forgot about the only weapon he had left: his grenade gauntlet. The other one had been destroyed in his fight with Deku, but the other was still full and ready to fire. The water wouldn't have got into it either, since it was sealed to keep his sweat in.

The ship rocked again.

" **Where is All Might?!** "

He wasn't there. So Katsuki would show them what a true hero was instead. His familiar confidence coated him again and the spark of rebellion was relit. He'd blow all these fuckers away!

"Oi, frog girl, grape head."

"It's Asui."

"Whatever. I've got an idea. You think your weird ass tongue can lift us both?"

"Lift, no. Pull, yes."

"Hm. Short stack, how good's your aim?"

"D-decent I guess?"

"Then you better get fucking good." Katsuki turned to them and raised his gauntlet. "We've got one shot at this, so you better not fuck this up." He kicked the wall of the ship and it dented. He kicked it again and a section split off. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed the metal and pulled. Just like he thought, it was a weak metal, and he could rip the panel off.

"I'm gonna use my blast to get us into the air. Frog girl, before we fall you're going to jump for the plaza and take us with you. Short stack, you're gonna keep em off us if they get too close."

"This leaves a lot to chance," Frog girl said.

"You want to be seafood?"

"Fair enough."

If it was just him, he could blast over the lake easily. But he had to think around the other two. They were defenseless against the villains.

The ship sank further, carrying on in a slow descent this time.

Katsuki picked up the metal and propped it against the railing, giving him a good angle to launch from. He went to the middle and held on with one hand. "Get on," he said.

When they were situated, Katsuki aimed his gauntlet behind them, the pin between his teeth. It was time.

He twisted his head.

 _Click_.

He was used to the sound of explosions; all the practice he did over the years made him partially deaf, but he still heard the ringing from the blast. The shot into the air as the ship went up in flames. Some villains were blown back while others pursued them in the water, waiting for them to fall.

A finned villain dived, only to shoot back out the water at high speed, heading straight for them. "Grape fuck!"

"Why can't I just have a cool high school life?!" he shouted as he pulled a ball from his head and threw it straight at the villain.

He veered off course from the impact and landed into his friends below, sticking them together. "Don't fucking slack off! Keep throwing!"

He did as he was told. It seemed like he was on autopilot.

Katsuki didn't know they were descending until a tongue was wrapped around his stomach and he was yanked through the air. He had to give her one thing: she had a lot of power in her legs to get them to the plaza.

He just wished the landing was a little easier as he bounced along the floor before rolling to a stop.

There was a loud bang and a cloud came from the storm zone.

" **Run, Iida!** "

The uptight guy darted from the newly formed hole and sped his way past the villains. Katsuki looked to the storm zone to see Deku standing there, blood running down his face.

The piece of shit upstaged him again.

* * *

"Thirteen!"

What remained of the rescue hero fell to the ground. The students stopped, stunned.

Mina ran over, kneeling beside the body. "Thirteen! Thirteen! Are you okay?" There was no response. Tears streamed from her eyes. Her hands hovered over the suit. She didn't know what to do. She only knew that the one who did this was still floating there, and the opportunity to escape was now gone. But she wouldn't let Thirteen's sacrifice be in vain.

"You bastard," she spat. She took off in a sprint and threw out her arm, flicking acid at the smug bastard's glowing eyes.

"Mina!"

She was thrown to the ground, familiar red hair covering her vision. "Eijirou, get off me! This bastard has to pay!"

"This isn't time to be reckless!" he said, backing off. "We can't just go charging in!"

She saw steam coming from his hardened arm. "What's that?" she pointed. He looked away and she knew the cause. It was her own acid, thrown back at her by the villain. "Eijirou, that wouldn't have hurt me…"

"That's not the point. Your skin's fine, but what about your eyes?" He looked at her again. "I don't want to risk it. And letting a girl get hurt isn't manly at all!"

"Have no fear, my friends! The darkness will be beaten by my glorious light!" Aoyama thrusted his hips, sending a sparkling laser at the villain.

"What are you doing, you idiot!" Jirou said as she moved to push him out the way of the returning beam. "Honestly, you see the same thing happen twice and you do it anyway? We can't hit this guy."

The close range fighters stood by helplessly. Shoji's expression was unreadable. Sato was frowning, his big lips pursed like he just ate something sour. Eijirou was shaking and Mina knew he was blaming himself for this.

"Can we really do nothing?" he said.

"Perhaps," Shoji said. "Ashido-san, when you aimed for his face he moved out the way. It seems he wants to protect that area."

"So, a weakness then?" Sato asked.

"You children are indeed naive. To discuss strategy in front of your enemy truly is foolish. Pro heroes would be working silently in tandem, all of them dissecting information about me as we fought."

"Well if your so amazing why aren't you attacking?!" Mina exclaimed.

"Because I have no need to. All I must do is stop you from going through this door. That is all."

"What are you even doing here?!"

"We are here to kill All Might."

Silence fell on the group. Killing the number one hero seemed impossible, yet… they couldn't hit this guy. Thirteen was on the ground. Aizawa was outnumbered. Their classmates were gone. They knew nothing about their enemy. Nothing had them in a winning position.

"You're… You're lying!" Eijirou shouted. "All Might can't be beaten!"

"I disagree. There are forces in this world that you do not know of. Powerful forces. What they desire will come to fruition, whether you like it or not." The villain's form shifted in the wind. "You live on borrowed time."

"Okay," Jirou began, plugging her ear jacks into the speakers on her leg. "Even I'm getting sick of hearing this. Time to change the tune." What was she doing?! She said herself that just throwing things wouldn't work!

What came from the speakers was a strange sound. It was like the after chime of a bell being struck, the last symbols rippling through the metal. It made Mina's ears twitch, but it didn't hurt.

The villain himself looked confused until his eyes widened. His form shifted, the miasma spreading apart as the particles that hovered around him disappeared. There, just below his eyes, was a glint of metal.

Mina threw some acid. Just before it landed, the villain managed to swirl his shape into a ball, with noticeable effort. Her acid wasn't redirected either. They were getting somewhere.

"There! There's metal! That's what he's protecting! Jirou, crank it up!"

A slight whistling filled the air, something that Mina barely heard. Looking at Jirou, however, saw that the girl was in pain. A squint was on her face and her legs were shaking. Blood ran from her ears. She wouldn't let Jirou's pain be for nothing.

The villain split apart again.

" **Run, Iida!** "

Iida? He could get to UA quicker than everyone! "You guys hear that?" Mina asked. She got nods in reply. "I think Iida's coming this way. We need to get that door open!"

"On it," Shoji said, running for the door. Sato followed close behind.

The villain stretched out to grab them, revealing the metal again. Eijirou moved forward, hardening his right arm. Aoyama thrusted a beam of light. Mina skated forward, throwing acid. But he villain was tenacious. Small strands of purple blocked their attacks, but Eijirou carried on, jumping up to the villain.

For a second, her heart stopped. She didn't want him to disappear like the others.

Jirou's sound changed and the strands scattered.

Sato and Shoji ran past the villain.

Eijirou reached out for the metal.

Iida appeared in the corner of her eye, a blur.

Sato ripped open a packet of sugar and swallowed it.

They grabbed a door each. And _pulled_.

The metal groaned. Iida passed the villain. Sato yelled. A crack of light shone from the door.

Eijirou made contact with the metal, bringing his hardened, blade-like arm to it.

The door opened, the boys sweating.

Iida shot through.

And then it was over.

They fell back and the door slammed shut with a mighty bang. They did it. They did it!

"Got you, you bastard!" Eijirou said triumphantly, and just like that her heart started beating again. Her horn buddy was okay. "Not so tough now, are ya?"

"I… I can't…"

Mina's smile left her face as she turned. Jirou's ear jacks unplugged from her speakers as she lost her footing. Mina managed to catch her before she fell, but she was out cold, the blood still running from her ears.

Wait, if Jirou was down, that meant -

"Eijirou, get off him!"

He managed to get away before the cloud claimed him. The mass shifted and grew, the villain standing strong again. "I underestimated you. Now I must return to the young master."

"What? Why?"

"I have failed my mission. There is no reason for me to be here."

"You're here to kill us though, aren't you?"

"If you wish to die, then come, but in the end you are all inconsequential to the main objective. You are merely ants." With that, his from disappeared into his own portal, his glowing eyes the last thing to go.

* * *

The rain pelted him as he fell, and Izuku couldn't do anything but cross his arms in front of his face before he impacted with the ground. Each day he was growing more thankful of his quirk's durability, turning the bone shattering fall into a heavy stinging. He saw blood drip onto the ground and he rubbed his face, his hand coming back red.

This time he poked around until he felt a stinging on his brow. His cut had reopened.

Izuku didn't have to look to know he was in the storm zone. The wind was fierce and the rain was harsh. He had to keep an arm above his eyes so he could see without being assaulted by the rain. And to think this was all manufactured… UA was really amazing.

Right now, though, he hated it. His hair was soaked and if his arm wasn't holding it back it would drape over his eyes. His ears were stinging too. Thankfully his suit was water-resistant.

But he couldn't just stand there and complain. His classmates were in danger, and all they had was each other until help arrived. Izuku wouldn't consider an 'if' help would come. He had faith in UA, in All Might. They would figure out something was wrong.

He was tackled to the ground.

Izuku grunted as he landed, recovering in time to block a hand swiping for his face. The villain came into focus and Izuku raised his arm to block a strike from the other side. Something tore into his skin and he cried out.

The villain holding him down had wicked metal claws at least five inches long. One of the fingers had skimmed his arm and they were in a standstill, arms locked. The villain snarled and revealed serrated metal teeth. "Blood. I want to see your blood!"

 _I need to retaliate! But I don't want to kill him… I just need to remember. I need to remember Kacchan!_

The current rushed through his veins. The villain went for a bite. Izuku planted his foot on the man's midsection and _pushed_. He went flying into the air. Izuku scrambled back, getting back to his feet. The villain started falling.

 _Yes, this is it. This is just the right amount!_

Izuku pulled a hand back and let it fly as the villain came into view. His blow sent the man down the street, bouncing off the floor a couple of times before coming to a stop.

Izuku's sigh of relief was cut off when the man pushed himself up. His head snapped to Izuku and he pushed off into a sprint. Izuku backed away.

"Blood! Blood! Show it to me! I know it's inside you! Why are you hiding it from me?!" He approached quicker than Izuku thought he would, swinging his claws wildly.

Izuku's eyes tracked the movements as best he could in the rain and through his hair. He couldn't find an opening, but he couldn't back up forever.

Spittle flew from the villain's mouth. His claws got closer.

If Izuku couldn't find an opening, he would make one. He just hoped the edge-resistance on his jumpsuit would mitigate the damage.

The villain's right arm came down and Izuku stepped in, throwing his left arm out. The claws bit into his arm and he hissed, but pushed through, throwing a straight punch with his right. His fist smashed into the villain's face and he was sent back again. Izuku cringed as the claws were ripped out, and he clutched his forearm to slow the bleeding.

The villain remained still on the street. Izuku kept alert this time. He couldn't be careless again.

He wandered the streets, dripping blood that was washed away by the rain. A thud. Screams. They echoed all around. Izuku looked around, gripping his arm tighter. Three villains flew from an alleyway, tumbling onto the street, unmoving. A form blacker than the shadows followed them, claws poised to strike again.

"Shadow, that's enough," said a deep voice. The shadow looked like it would strike until it pulled back to reveal Tokoyami walking onto the street. Izuku couldn't be happier to see the bird-headed man.

"Tokoyami-san!"

"Ah, Midoriya-san. Are you okay? Those injuries look severe."

Izuku scratched his head. "It's not that bad. My quirk helps a lot."

Tokoyami hummed at looked away. "I saw Iida-san before. I tried calling out to him, but the rain must have masked my voice."

 _You don't talk too loud in the first place, Tokoyami-san…_

"After that the villains attacked me. They were nothing to Shadow."

"You should have let me tear them apart!"

"Down, Shadow!" It was the first time Izuku heard Tokoyami shout. His shadow was acting strange too, it was usually more gentle. The shadow tutted. Tokoyami gave one last glare before speaking again. "Nevertheless, we should find Iida-san."

"Yeah," Izuku agreed, "he's one of the only ones who can reach UA in time." Tokoyami looked to him questioningly. "We have no connection with UA, or else Aizawa-sensei would have called them straight away. That villain teleported us, so he might not be at the door anymore. If that's the case, we need to get Iida-san out of here so he can get help."

Tokoyami nodded. "Then we should not tarry."

By the time they found Iida, Izuku was feeling light headed. Iida was darting between a group of villains, delivering swift and decisive kicks that made them crumple.

"Iida-san!" He skidded to a stop, his face relieved. "Are you okay?" Izuku asked as he and Tokoyami approached.

"It is good to see you, Midoriya-kun. I'm a little out of breath, but the rain is keeping my engines cool. You, however, need medical attention!"

"It doesn't matter, Iida-san. I can hold out."

"I honestly think - "

"I'm fine," Izuku repeated. He was lying, but he still needed to help. He wouldn't let his body give up, even as his vision started to fuzz around the edges. "Iida-san, we need to get you out of here."

Iida frowned. Izuku just noticed his glasses were gone. They made his face look a lot sharper. "Why just me?"

"You need to run to UA to get help."

Iida shook his head. "No, I cannot abandon my class in their time of need! It is my duty as class president to keep them safe!"

"I understand that, Iida-san, but - "

"I agree with Midoriya, Iida-san," Tokoyami cut in. "You may not like it, but we are horribly outnumbered here. Even if we were all to band together, we would still be a fraction of their forces. In a battle of attrition, we will lose. Top of our year we may be, but we are still students. We don't have the skills of pro heroes to deal with this situation. To get help is the most logical solution."

Iida looked to the ground. "I do not like this. A hero does not run away!"

"A hero saves as many as they can, Iida-san," Tokoyami said. "If you can get through the door, then you will save all of us. Villains like these can't stand against the pros of UA."

There was a pause. Tokoyami and Iida were looking at each other, a silent argument sparking the air. Izuku checked their surroundings. Clear.

Iida sighed. "Fine," he relented. "But what of the cloud villain?"

"Do you think you could run past him?" Izuku asked.

"Definitely. But I will need some distance to reach my higher gears."

Izuku brought a hand to his chin. "The avenue," he said. "An avenue runs right through the middle of the city. It's a straight shot to the entrance."

"That can work. I can gain speed across the plaza too. No doubt the entrance is guarded and sealed."

"You can leave that to me, Iida-san." Izuku clenched his fist. "I'll give you an opening."

The three nodded to each other and set off for the avenue. Dark Shadow led the way, stopping them from taking any unnecessary paths. A short walk and a few twists and turns later, they were at the avenue.

It was littered with villains.

"The plan stays the same," Izuku said. "Iida-san, you get into position."

"You need my help here, Midoriya-kun."

"It would be helpful, but you need your engines as cool as they can be. There's no rain outside to help them. Me and Tokoyami-san can deal with the villains."

"Indeed."

Again, Iida relented. Before he walked away he put a hand on Izuku's shoulder. "Be careful, Midoriya-kun. And protect them while I can't."

Izuku nodded and Iida jogged away. When Izuku looked back down the avenue, the villains were staring back. They wouldn't have the element of surprise.

"Are you ready, Midoriya-san?" Tokoyami asked, coming up beside him.

"As I can be."

"Then let us begin."

Dark Shadow led the charge and ploughed through the villains, batting them aside. People were sent into the air and crashing onto the asphalt, but they stood up and went in again. Izuku had to admire their bravery.

He himself was shaking. He didn't know how much of it was due to blood loss. Regardless, he had a job to do, and he would see it through to the end, for everyone.

He clotheslined the first villain who was too slow to react. The second he only had to push away, like he did with the villain all those months ago. They didn't need to be knocked out. They just needed to be out the way.

A glance at Dark Shadow showed him picking up a villain and throwing him into his friends while sweeping away another group. It seemed the villains were intent on taking him down.

Izuku continued, side stepping another villain before hitting another one in the stomach. The entrance was close and only one villain stood in his way.

Izuku's world swayed. He blinked it away and shook his head.

The final villain met him head on and took Izuku's punch.

 _How did he - no. No time to think. Push through._

Sparks flew from his body as he poured in a little more power. The villain pulled back for a punch, his large frame dwarfing Izuku's.

 _I won't let you stop me!_

The villain was mid swing when Izuku's fist shot forward. He felt some resistance, but pushed through, gritting his teeth as his eyes went fuzzy again. The sparks coalesced around his fist as he yelled.

"SMAAAAAAAASH!"

The villain shot off like a bullet, breaking through the entrance and flooding the city with light, the wind whipping as it fled the dome.

" **Run, Iida!** "

"Hai!"

He sounded like a jet engine as he sped by, arms and legs pumping with precision born from years of practice. The villains could only turn their heads as he raced by, a cloud of dust the only evidence he had passed.

Izuku glanced behind himself to see Tokoyami and Shadow dispatching the last of the villains. He was about to analyse the possibilities and tactics of such a powerful quirk until the sound of gunfire drew him back to the plaza.

There, Aizawa was weaving his way through the villains with ruthless efficiency, dozens of them knocked out behind him. Izuku's amazement quickly turned into concern as he noticed his teacher getting slower by the second, halting for deep breaths after every combination. It was obvious the villains saw this too, as their attacks grew more confident.

It was a minute later when Aizawa took a hit that stumbled him back. Izuku's legs tensed, that need to save stirring in his heart.

Then the air rippled as the purple mist returned. Izuku's instincts were beaten down and he released a breath he didn't know he was holding.

Everything stopped as the villains conversed, their low tones layering the air with a sinister undercurrent. Aizawa took the chance at a breather, wiping blood from the side of his mouth.

The tension broke when the hands villain snarled. He muttered to himself, scratching his neck faster and faster, staring off into something no one else could see. The mist leaned close to the villain and with a few words calmed him to a standstill. His next words were low, but they slithered their way to Izuku.

"If we can't kill All Might, then we might as well kill his pride instead. Noumu." The beast roared. "Get that guy and bring him over here." It roared again and vanished.

Izuku's eyes widened as they flicked to the middle of the plaza where Aizawa's arm was clamped in the Noumu's hold.

 _How did he move so fast?!_

Aizawa swung his leg into the Noumu's ribs. It simply roared and twisted Aizawa's arm, the man going limp in its hold.

It was that moment when Izuku's fear left his body and was replaced by his will to _save_.

Again he was overcome by the need to move. This time, however, he knew he was doing it. The calculations sped through his mind as his feet kicked off the ground. How much percentage did he need? A hundred? Ninety? Would anything be enough?

There was a part of him that knew what he was doing was stupid. He didn't think of a plan, he knew nothing of the Noumu's quirk or any of the other villains'. Even if he did save Aizawa then they'd both be in trouble.

Before he knew it he was barreling into the Noumu, shoulder first. It made a strange chirp when Izuku made contact which changed into a snarl as it was knocked off its feet.

Izuku's world span as he bounced off the Noumu, tumbling along the floor until he dug his feet in and came to a sliding stop.

When everything came back into focus he saw the beast standing a few feet in front of him, with Aizawa lying on the ground close by.

 _I… did it?_

"What the hell was that?" The villain's voice was a lot closer now. Izuku looked to his left and saw them staring back. "Noumu is supposed to go toe to toe with All Might. How's this twerp pushed him back?"

"I am… not sure."

"Noumu! Smash that trash mob and bring him here!"

Izuku felt _something_ shift the air and he quickly pressed himself against the ground. A massive fist sailed overhead. Followed by another angled right towards him!

He rolled to the side and pushed himself up in time for another charge. Instinct brought Izuku's arms up in defense and the Noumu's fist collided into his crossed arms.

Pain zapped through his body as he flew backwards, blood leaking from his arm. He smashed into the fountain and crumpled to his knees. His head swam, voices piercing through the muck.

 _I may stand alone, brother, but I stand for all of them._

 _You just don't get it, do ya? We ain't gonna give up. Not now, not ever._

 _I know how you feel, but I have a duty to the people. It is a duty I swore to._

 _You think this is what it takes to beat me? Don't make me laugh! Come on, bring some more!_

 _My power is a curse. Compared to me, everything is weak. This curse only I can bare._

 _This hero business can be a drag sometimes, but as long as I can put creeps like you away, I love every second of it._

 _You think you've beat me? Ha. It's already been passed on, to a man who will put you and everything you stand for in the ground._

 _It's okay now. Why? Because I am here!_

His vision filled with a spectrum of colours. They twisted and turned, tapering off into a shining star which stared back at him with eight pairs of eyes. They burned a bright yellow that pierced his soul and filled his body with warmth.

 _Don't give up now, kid. You've just gotta hold on a little longer._

The woman's voice reminded him of his mother's in its caring tone.

 _So stand up._

He did.

 _Chin up._

He looked the Noumu straight in the eye.

 _And kick its ass_.

His body sparked as he met the Noumu half way, both swinging for each other.

* * *

 **A/N** : I hope you enjoyed the 10,000 word USJ Battle Extravaganza!

I had a lot of fun writing this, even if it was longer than my dissertation. I love writing action, and I'd love to choreograph fight scenes for films and stuff. A personal dream of mine. This chapter gave me so many ideas for character development, especially Toru, who I now love in my own head canon. Already got some good scenes in mind for the future for her.

As you've read in the summary of this story, as well as the contents, this is not an Izuku centric fic, so I hope you all enjoy the angles of the different characters. Of course, Izuku will be centre stage a lot; with a quirk like his, and the destiny that's upon him he doesn't have a choice.

Anyway! I would like to thank all who've reviewed. I would reply to everyone individually, but I don't want to clutter the page and a lot of them are some really nice compliments which do wonders for my writing enthusiasm. Writing for myself is always good, but this is for you guys as much as it is for me.

Divine, thanks for the quote reminder. I forgot about that amazing line and I'll be sure to put it in a future chapter!

Hephaestus, as usual your reviews feed my soul and I will continue to greedily consume them.

Tatsu... you need to calm down. Almost gave me a heart attack when the review count blew up. Just... get help, okay? That many reviews isn't healthy. (But seriously, I appreciate you for being here since the beginning.)

That goes to everyone too!

See you next time! And thank you for reading! Let me know what you think!

oh and did i mention i have another fic, Angel for All? no? i'm just a shill? okay bye.


	9. Battle of USJ: Conclusion

**ATTENTION: ENDING OF PREVIOUS CHAPTER HAS BEEN CHANGED. EXISTING READERS PLEASE READ BEFORE CONTINUING.**

* * *

Izuku planted his foot, halting his charge while the Noumu continued. As a result, its punch went wide and Izuku took the opening with his own swing. It felt like he hit rubber as the Noumu's skin rippled around his fist.

It took him a split second to realise the creature was unaffected before he hopped away from another punch. A hand shot forward, grabbing for his face. He ducked it, feeling its fingers brush through his hair.

Again, Izuku swung for the opening, shaking the creature's body.

 _Still nothing?!_

He was dangerously close to the Noumu, his vision filled with its chest. So far, Izuku's size had been giving him an advantage, letting him duck punches and forcing the Noumu to attack at a lower angle. Now, however, he couldn't see the beast's limbs.

Something slammed into his side.

His vision fuzzed as the air was pushed from his lungs. Something snapped inside him and his teeth clacked together to bite down the pain.

A massive fist struck his stomach and Izuku couldn't stop the acid from rising up and out his mouth. When he hit the floor, the taste of blood filled his mouth.

 _Come on, kid. Just a little more. He's almost here._

He was being filled with a strength he knew he didn't have. His mind wanted more than his body could handle. Yet he still stood on shaking legs, his vision wobbling from side to side. The same eyes from earlier were staring down at him from atop the Noumu's shoulders.

Something about them filled his body with strange sensations. A weight was put on his shoulders; his blood boiled; his very being was torn apart and put together only to be torn again. The current stopped and started, sparking and flaring, reaching for something that glowed in his chest. It reached out, a single arm extending from a spiraling galaxy.

And they touched.

Izuku barely noticed the explosions in the distance as everything he was finally felt _right_.

The sparks around his body faded and, for one second, the world was in laser focus.

 _There we go, kid._

He shot for the Noumu and swung.

The normal eye would have missed it in a blink. The aftermath, however, was felt throughout the whole USJ.

The wind bowed to his strike, folding and whipping, pushing away any who were too close. Villains went flying, the ground shook, and the beast was pushed back, its feet carving trenches into the ground, smoke rising from its side.

Izuku's arm was extended, his right sleeve and glove gone as if they evaporated. His skin was red, odd bumps lining his forearm.

He let out a breath and collapsed, just as a loud bang came from the entrance.

* * *

 **Two minutes earlier:**

 _What the hell is he doing?!_

Was Katsuki's first thought after the shock faded. Deku had just charged the massive freak like a damn idiot! Even he wouldn't mess with that thing after the speed it showed.

Deku had always been equal to him in smarts, so why was he charging in like an idiot?!

Katsuki sent pulses down his arms, trying for even the slightest pop.

 _Come on!_

He rubbed his hand furiously against his pant leg, trying to dry his hands just a little bit.

 _Come the fuck on!_

He sent more pulses, harder than the others, his arms tensing. Again and again he tried as Deku dodged the freak's attacks.

"Bakugo, what are yo - "

"Shut up!" he interrupted the frog girl.

Another pulse and he felt something pulse in his hand. He smirked and pushed again. Another pop.

 _There we go!_

Soon his hands were sending off miniature explosions. Each pulse got easier and he felt his sweat beginning to build. Deku was knocked back just as Katsuki shot forward with a quick burst from his hands.

He wouldn't be like that idiot though. No, he'd go for what really mattered: that purple bastard. The hands guy would probably try to stop him, but Katsuki was confident his quirk could hold him off. All he needed was one shot at the bit of silver he saw before he was teleported.

If he got that, those fuckers would have nowhere to go when the heroes showed up.

As he guessed, the hands guy took notice first. "Ah, what's this? A little - "

"Die!" Katsuki threw an explosion at him, blasting the guy back. It changed his course, but he went with the momentum, using his other hand to launch him higher before he continued. From his position he could see the purple bastard's metal plate.

His instincts flared at the feeling of killing intent to his left. He threw an explosion, forcing the hands guy to retreat. Only when he looked back at the mist villain did Katsuki notice he threw himself off course.

"Shit!"

He landed and was set upon by the hands villain. The guy was fast, but Katsuki's quirk blew any advantage of close quarters away. At least he thought it did.

The guy moved without any rhythm. It took Katsuki all he had to keep the guy away.

"I like that look in your eyes," he said as he weaved around another explosion. "It looks like you really wanna kill me! It's great!"

"Shut up!" Katsuki made a small explosion in front of the guy's face and used it to launch himself upwards. His other hand reached out for an explosion when a hand shot through the black smoke, grabbing his grenade gauntlet.

Katsuki's eyes widened as it started to crumble. He sent a large pulse down his arm and blew the guy to hell, sending Katsuki flying. He was about to correct himself in the air when he was buffeted by the wind which sent him crashing to the floor.

He quickly recovered and looked around. He doubted the hands guy would be done just yet. Instead of the villain, though, he saw Deku standing still with his arm out. There was a beat of silence and he went limp, falling to his side.

Something rushed through Katsuki and was quickly stomped out by rage.

 _That fucking idiot!_

"Just who is that kid?"

The voice came from behind him and Katsuki twirled, lashing out with a wide blast.

"You're all so interesting! Much more than what my master said you'd be!"

Katsuki snarled and readied another blast before a loud bang drew their attention to the entrance.

There was a cloud of dust there, but something inside Katsuki knew who was hidden within it.

Step by thunderous step his figure cut through the dust, his shadow forming the imposing presence of the number one hero.

" **It's fine now.** "

Katsuki had never heard his voice so tense, or booming.

" **Because I am here!** "

* * *

All Might snarled as he rushed to the USJ, rage and guilt swirling inside. Rage at the bastards who dared attack his pupils, and guilt for not being with them from the start. He could only hope they handled themselves well, waiting for him to arrive.

He burst through the doors like they were paper, steam leaking from his arms.

He would make them feel the fear they put into his students. He would make them cower before justice. Because, for the third time in his life, he was _pissed off_.

He took note of Ashido's crying face, of Thirteen's torn costume, of the looks of relief on the student's faces.

" **It's fine now.** "

From the top of the stairs he could get a good look at the villains below. He grabbed his tie and ripped it off.

" **Because I am here!** "

Whatever words he wanted to say next caught in his throat as he laid eyes upon the plaza. And the green haired boy lying in a pool of blood in the centre of it.

There was no shock. No fear. No worry. Just pure, unadulterated _rage_.

He moved and took out the closest ten villains before they even knew what was coming. Then he battered away the rest who were standing over Aizawa's body.

"S-sorry…" the man mumbled, his eyes hazy.

There was a roar, and the beast stood over his son, ready for a final blow.

He yelled himself, and blocked the punch. He leaned close to the villain. "You don't get to touch him. Not my son."

He threw a straight at its face with his other arm, the thing not even flinching as its head turned.

 _You want more then? Good._

He cranked his internal dial up and punched again. It stumbled back a few steps, but was otherwise unaffected.

A sick laugh came from behind the beast. There, a mist-like villain was hovering near a blue haired villain, a young Bakugo a safe distance away. "You're finally here! I hope you don't mind what we did to the place. After all, we only came here for you.

"You see, that Noumu you're fighting there was made just to kill you!"

 _Made?_

"It has a shock absorption quirk that can take you at one hundred percent, with a strength that can match yours!"

All Might almost laughed. The kid may have been in charge, but All Might could tell he was inexperienced. He would make this quick.

"Take me on at one hundred percent you say?" He planted his feet. "That just means I won't have to hold anything back!"

His hips rotated with his shoulders as he threw his punch. "TEXAS SMASH!"

The Noumu caught his punch, but he kept smiling. "Your fast. That's good. It means I can spend longer beating you!"

To be honest, he hadn't felt so powerful in years. He knew it wasn't because of the slowly dying rage, but something deeper. One For All finally felt like it was his again.

What followed was a flurry of punches that blurred to the common eye. Surprisingly, the Noumu matched him punch for punch, and he could feel his wound twinging with each hit. Still, he pushed on, electrified by the feeling of One For All at full power since the last time five years ago.

"You might have been made to beat me at one hundred percent!"

He grabbed the Noumu's shoulders and pushed it backwards, carving jagged lines into the ground.

"But that just means I'll have to go beyond that!"

They traded another flurry of punches and blew each other back on the final blow. The thing was struggling to stand, and All Might could feel his internal damage catching up to him. Looking within himself, he found that chain of stars that linked them all together.

"Tell me, villain, have you ever heard this phrase?"

Their power coursed through him as he engaged the Noumu again. This time, it could barely keep up, taking more hits than it could throw.

A jab sent its head reeling and All Might cocked back his right fist. "It means to go beyond!"

He sent it flying, burying it into the Noumu's stomach.

" **PLUS ULTRAAAAAAAAAAA!** "

It bent around his fist, resisting as much as it could before it snapped back, launching like a rubber band into the roof, bursting through the metal and into the sky, blasting a hole into a cloud as it went.

Steam rose from his body as he lowered his fist. Despite the roaring protest from his muscles, he stood as tall as he could, and faced the villains. "Is that all?"

The blue haired villain started scratching his neck. "No. No, no, no, no. No! It wasn't supposed to be like this! He said it would work! He said you would die!" Blood trickled from his scratches.

"Shigaraki-sama, it is not a complete loss. His students have still suffered. And he can still watch as we kill another."

His gaze was drawn to Bakugo, who raised his arms. Shigaraki smirked and stuck his hand in the mist, a portal opening behind Bakugo's head.

All Might tried to move, but he was locked in place, steam pouring out of his decaying body.

A wall of ice shot forward at the villains, forcing Shigaraki to withdraw his hand. "Tch. Another one? Why can't - "

A gunshot whipped through the air and blasted through his calf. Shigaraki was peppered with two more bullets to his shoulders before he was encased by the mist villain. His last manic shouts came from the miasma.

"It isn't over, All Might! I'll kill you and your little brats! They'll crumble to dust beneath my hands!"

The villain then went into himself and vanished, an annoyed Bakugo landing where they were. "Damnit!"

Todoroki looked on from the side until Cementos came and moved them along, setting up a wall just in time for Yagi Toshinori to return in all his skeletal glory.

"Young Midoriya," he said. "Is he okay?"

It was hard to read a face like Cementos'. The silence spoke for itself. "He's alive, but… he's pretty banged up. He's already been taken to the ambulance and is off to the nearest hospital. Same with Thirteen-kun and Aizawa-san."

"And the others?"

"A few scrapes here and there, but otherwise fine."

Thank god for small mercies.

* * *

There were a lot of things Toshinori hated about hospitals. The first thing in his younger days were the heart monitors, their apathetic beeps the tenuous line between life and death. Years later it was the white _everything_ , offset by sickly greens and pale blues. After that it was the glances. Nurses and doctors were sympathetic, other patients looked at each other with the same grimacing faces. The most recent one was the smell of sanitised decay that hung to every object.

Now, however, he hated another thing about hospitals: the fact his son was in one.

He looked a lot smaller under the white sheets. A lot paler too.

Toshinori was at the foot of his bed, Recovery Girl standing at the side by the heart monitor taking notes. Izuku's right arm was in a cast, the bones in his forearm shattered and expertly put back together by Recovery Girl's quirk. The stitches on his head were resown, and a large scar ran down his left arm.

It reminded Toshinori of his younger days. He hated it.

Recovery Girl hummed, drawing his attention. "What is it?"

"Nothing to worry about. Just a theory."

That was apparently that as they descended into silence again, the beeping of the monitor taking over the room.

Suddenly, muffled voices came from outside, hurried footsteps coming for the door. It burst open, a dash of green heading for the bed.

"Miss, you can't!"

"Izuku!" The woman went straight to the boy, hands hovering over his body as if they didn't know where to touch. They finally settled on his cheeks as she stared into his closed eyes. "Izuku…"

A nurse stepped up to pull her away, but Recovery Girl intervened. "It's fine, Kaori-chan. You can go."

The nurse looked unsure, but relented, stepping out the room with a bow. Toshinori looked at the woman. She was bigger than he remembered, and somehow shorter, but her emerald hair and eyes were still the same. Her son looked just like her.

"Inko…" The name escaped his lips before he noticed.

She froze, teary face turning to him. After a few seconds, there was a flash of recognition. "Toshi?"

Just looking at her brought flashes of memories. A joyous laugh, an overwhelming warmth in his heart, the smell of lavender, whispers of sweet nothings. A summer when his heart was taken.

Recovery Girl's shuffling drew their attention. "I'll be outside if you need me." With a lingering hand on Inko's arm she left the room, the closing door trapping them in a time long forgotten.

There was silence. Inko grasped her son's hand. "Is it… really you?" Her voice was choked. He could only nod, the words stuck in his throat. "What happened to you?"

His mouth opened and closed several times before he could tell her. It was the short story about how he got injured, and atrophied into his current state. After that her eyes were switching between his side and her son.

He couldn't stop his question. "Why didn't you tell me?"

She turned her attention to Izuku at that, running her fingers through his wild hair. Something she used to do for him. "I tried. I really did try. I found out the day you were leaving, but I couldn't get through to your phone. Your agency didn't tell me anything either. I even missed you at the airport." She went that far for him? "I even tried to send letters, to contact anyone who knew you. In the end, there was nothing."

His chest was tight. "I'm… I'm sorry, Inko…"

"I hated you, for a while." He flinched. "I got fired, I had to move to a tiny apartment, the morning sickness floored me. Luckily I moved in next to an old lady who owned a tea shop. She gave me a job, helped me with the pregnancy, and made sure I was okay when it was hard to walk. Throughout it all, I kept dreaming that you were by my side, only to wake up alone."

When did he get so close to her?

"Then he was born; my little Izuku. My baby boy." Her affection was unmistakable. "Nothing else mattered but him after that. I got a better job, we moved into a new place, and Izuku was happy and healthy. Then we saw your debut."

She chuckled, still looking at her son.

"You should have seen the look on his face. He was your biggest fan. Posters, action figures, a cute little onesie. Little Mighty Boy was always saving me from the villains. Even from so far away, you were still his hero."

He wanted to reach out to her, but kept his arms pinned to his sides. "Inko. If I… if I knew, I would have stayed. I'm so sorry."

"It's fine. Honestly. Like I said, I've moved on from the past. The world needed you more than we did."

"No. I could have done both." He clenched his fists. "Instead I gave in to fear. I thought it was best to keep you safe, to cut you from my life completely. If I knew you were pregnant…"

Something hit his forehead and he flinched. "You need to stop lingering on the 'ifs', Toshi. The past is the past. All we can do is make a better future today."

It seemed motherhood only added to her strong spirit. They spent a minute in silence, staring at Izuku. "He's… he's strong. I'm proud of him."

Inko smiled. "Me too. I'm happy he's following his dream. I just wish he wouldn't get so hurt."

Her voice cracked at the end. "Maybe you should get some coffee?" It wouldn't be healthy for her to keep worrying.

"No, I want to be here when he wakes up."

"Inko." He placed a hesitant hand on top of hers. She looked into his eyes. "Please? I'll be here the whole time."

"But…"

"You look like you need to take a breather. It's not like you'll be gone for long, the machine's just down the hall."

She looked between him and Izuku, a frown on her brow. "O-okay…" It took her some effort to separate from her son. Toshinori noticed his hand and loosened his grip, letting her step away. "I'll be back soon…" With one last squeeze of Izuku's hand, she left the room, the door closing with a soft click.

* * *

"-oon."

 _Welcome back, kid._

 _Who are you?_

 _Technically, I'm you._

 _That doesn't answer my question…_

 _Don't worry, kid, you'll find out soon enough. For now, you need to wake up. Remember what happened before you passed out?_

He woke with a start, gasping as he took in the white ceiling. The pain he felt before was now muted, a strange tingling in his limbs. He tried angling his neck, but his muscles didn't respond. Not even a twitch.

His breaths came short and quick as he tried to move his locked body.

"-iya."

Why couldn't he move?

"-doriya?"

Why couldn't he move?!

"Izuku!" Large hands pressed onto his shoulders. The roar of the Noumu echoed through his mind. "Izuku, you need to calm down!"

A shock of yellow filled his blurred vision. He focused on it, willing his eyes to stop moving. Slowly, the world came back into focus, and he was staring into the worried face of All Might.

"There we go. Deep breaths."

"All Might…"

"Don't speak. Just save your breath."

"All Might…" He remembered something. A bang, falling to the floor, All Might holding back the Noumu. And something else…

"What… did you mean… by son?"

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you for reading!

Kept you waiting, huh? Quick summary of why it took so long: A few days after last chapter I went to London for a couple of days; lost my rhythm; applied for some jobs; bad news; got a nice pm, went back to try and write a new chapter; couldn't figure out how for a week and a half; changed ending of last chapter and here we are.

I want to thank everyone for their patience and I apologise for taking so long. The next chapter will be up in a couple of days. Thank you for your comments, and I look forward to more criticism.

I really appreciate your comment, MM995, as things like this can draw attention to things I might miss and can improve the work overall. The main thing with Izuku being dunked on is the fact that, compared to the other characters we've followed, he has had no fighting experience whatsoever. Even when he was bullied, all he did was take the hits. Increasing his combat ability will come in the next couple of chapters, and serves as character interaction. I mean, I have put him in bad situations too, but they serve the purpose of highlighting his weaknesses to himself. I completely understand where you're coming from and if you spot anything else please let me know :). The tournament arc will be a lot different in comparison to his fights so far.

Thank you again for reading, and I'll be back soon™.


	10. Revelations

Izuku stared All Might in the eyes, watching his pupils shrink in shock. It may have been the drugs he was on, but a wave of confidence surged within him. "What… did you mean?" he pressed.

All Might stepped from his vision. "I…"

"I'm back - Izuku!" His mother rushed from the door. Before he knew it he was pressed against her shoulder, her hands cradling his head.

"Mum…"

"I'm so glad your okay!" He felt tears soak into his neck. "I was so worried," she whispered.

"Mum, I can't - I can't move…"

"That'll be Recovery Girl's quirk," All Might chimed in. "Its healing comes straight from your stamina, and you were pretty beat up to start with. You've got nothing to worry about."

That was one thing off his mind. For a few moments, he let himself be comforted in his mother's arms, the still foreign feeling calming the storm in his mind. Still, he had to ask: "Who is All Might to you?" He felt her tense, and she pulled away to look at his face. Izuku felt queasy. "I don't know what's going on…" All Might's face twisted again. "I just want an answer!" His throat clenched in pain at his outburst.

His mother and All Might looked at each other, an unspoken question passing between them. "Izuku…" Butterflies were in his stomach. "All Might is… your father."

His world lurched, blurring and coming into focus as a missing piece of his life was slammed back in. It felt like there was a shift in reality, a sudden clarity where everything made _sense,_ while at the same time a gaping hole formed behind him. There were stories to be told, explanations to give, and questions to ask.

When he was young, he wondered where his dad was. Everyone else seemed to have one except him. He used to fantasise All Might was his dad because the hero was perfect in every way, and who _wouldn't_ want him as a dad. When he got his quirk, though, the idea of having a father disappeared, buried beneath anxiety and guilt.

 _Why did you leave?_

 _Why bother coming back?_

 _Why weren't you there to help us?_

The questions swirled in his mind, along with a million others, but he pushed them down, reminding himself that the person he wanted to ask was All Might. The Number One Hero. The Symbol of Peace. The most selfless person on the planet.

There must have been a reason why he left. Or maybe it was his inner fan wanting to believe the man could do no wrong.

"There we go, Izuku, just let it all out." Circles were being rubbed on his back. The smell of something horrible stung his nose and he realised he was bent over a cardboard bucket, staring at his own vomit. He threw up again.

"Mum…"

"Shh." She pressed his back a little harder. "Just let it out. Deep breaths."

He coughed for a while and dry heaved a couple of times before he finished. If he felt weak before, he was exhausted now, a weak tremor in his body. His mother lowered him back to the bed, taking hold of his hand.

"Feeling better?"

He nodded, too tired to talk.

"Maybe we should have this talk after you've recovered. You've only just woken up after all."

He shook his head. "No," he croaked.

"Izuku - "

"No," he repeated. "I want… to know."

"I really think - "

All Might's hand on her shoulder stopped her. "Inko, it's fine. He has a right to know." He pulled up a couple of chairs and sat down, his mother taking the other. He sighed. "I suppose I should start from the beginning.

"I met your mother in the summer about sixteen years ago; it was way before I debuted. At the time I was a sidekick in a local agency, trying to earn a name for myself. It was a coffee run that brought me and your mother together. Things progressed from there, and before I knew it I was in love."

Izuku's mother blushed, but had a fond smile.

"Shortly after, I got the chance to move abroad. My reputation had grown a lot, and it was my chance to make it big, to become the hero I've always wanted to be."

"We talked about it," his mother chimed in, "I thought it was a great chance, and I didn't want to be the one who held him back."

"And I didn't want to be the one to bring her harm. The Symbol of Peace I wanted to become would be a target, and any weakness I had I feared would be exploited. It was that fear that led me to cut all ties with your mother the day I left."

"It was that day I found out I was pregnant with you, Izuku."

All Might grimaced, clenching his fists so hard Izuku could hear the bones pop. "By then, I was out of reach. I never knew you existed until a few weeks ago when Recovery Girl told me." He hung his head, bowing in his seat. "I'm so sorry Izuku, Inko. I left you both alone through all these years, and while I was saving the world the people I should have cared for the most were suffering. I'm so sorry."

There was something wrong with seeing All Might so small and fragile. His booming and strong voice was wavering, and his upright posture was slumped in forgiveness. "All… Might…" Izuku couldn't bring himself to be angry at the person in front of him. "It's okay… because... you're here now… right?"

All Might's face shot up, eyes wide. "I don't know… how to take this. But I… I'll work through it… eventually. So, it's okay."

His signature smile crawled along his face. Something about it seemed more genuine than the ones Izuku had seen before. "Heh. You're very mature, young Izuku." Izuku smiled back.

Soon enough, the three of them were smiling at each other. Izuku didn't know what would happen from there on out, but at that moment they were happy, a seed of a brighter future planted between them.

The door slid open and Recovery Girl shuffled in, pausing to look at the scene before coming up to Izuku's bedside. "I see everything is out then." They smiled back. "That's good. I hope you took the news well, Midoriya-kun?"

He went to speak but his mother beat him to it. "Things were a little sudden," she said, gesturing to the bucket on the ground, "but he got over it rather quickly."

"How are you feeling, Midoriya-kun?" Recovery Girl asked.

"Okay. Throat hurts. Feel weak."

"It's a good thing you have so much energy, Midoriya-kun," she said, tapping on her tablet. "There are very few people who could take my treatment for so long. Thankfully, it paid off; your bones have been realigned and your wounds sealed. A couple more days of treatment and you will be good to go. School has been cancelled for three days, so you don't have to worry about that." A chill settled into the room. "However, I would advise that you avoid injuries like these again, Midoriya-kun. I don't want you to become a regular of mine." How could a little old lady be so menacing?!

Izuku nodded as fast as he could. "Un-understood."

"Good." The aura receded and Recovery Girl became the image of a charming little granny. "I'm sorry to say this, you two, but visiting hours are over. We're already over the clock and I can't give you any more time."

His mother looked deflated at that. "Okay." She came up to him and gave him a hug. "I'll be back tomorrow, okay?" she whispered. "I'll try to sneak in some katsudon as well." She pulled away and winked with a conspiratory smile.

All Might was next. "Mi - Izuku. I know a lot has been dropped on you today, but… thank you, for accepting me. I'll have a lot to deal with the next couple of days, but I want to talk to you as soon as I can. There are some things about your quirk I would like you to know."

They went to the door. It was strange, seeing them together. They gave one last wave and they were gone.

"Rest well, Midoriya-kun." A cup of water with a straw was placed on his bedside table. "Small sips only. I don't want you throwing up again." With those words, Recovery Girl left the room.

He only managed two sips before he fell asleep.

* * *

Ochako didn't have a destination in mind when she started walking. It was the day after the USJ attack, and after waking up from a nightmare to an empty apartment, she decided she needed a distraction from the silence.

So, at four in the morning, she clipped on her dad's old Walkman, put in his old mixtape, secured the headphones, and set out. The air was humid, and the morning dew had yet to subside. The sky had begun to turn orange with the rising sun, but a lilac veil still held most of it. It was a pretty sight, so she took a picture on her phone, hoping to show it to Deku on Monday.

She had debated visiting him at the hospital, but it would be pretty embarrassing. Especially since Iida was too busy to come. The thought of them alone in such a private setting made her feel awkward, and with Deku's social skills she doubted they would have that much of a conversation.

Her mind flashed back to watching Deku fight that monster.

They had hidden themselves on a peak, observing the situation on the plaza and scouting out any escape routes. Ochako remembered her heart stopping when the monster moved in a blink and took down Aizawa. She felt its killing intent from so far away, and a sense of uselessness pressed down on her. She was rooted to the spot.

Then Deku was there, saving Aizawa and pushing back the beast. He was just like he was during the entrance exam: standing strong in the face of danger and adversity. She marveled at his strength.

Then he was beaten back.

Then he stood.

Before she knew it, she was being pushed down by Momo, wind billowing above them and sending rocks tumbling down the miniature mountains. When the wind died down, and she looked at the plaza, she saw Izuku's fist outstretched, the monster pushed back.

Her friend's power had never felt so real. And it made her feel even more inadequate.

How could she be a hero if she wasn't willing to stand like Deku did? What was her power compared to his?

The questions kept haunting her mind as she walked. It was only until she passed under a strange shadow did she snap back to reality.

Looking to her right, she saw piles upon piles of rubbish. Old cars, rusted metals, appliances. Almost anything she could think of was there. It brought a frown to her face when she noticed it was supposed to be a beach.

Back where she was from, no one would have dared to litter that much, let alone ruin a public space. She was about to set off again when a stray thought swept across her doubtful mind. It was something she had read up while she was studying for the UA exams.

 _Over dozens of tests lasting several weeks, there has been a uniform conclusion: the extensive and strenuous use of a quirk increases its strength in different ways, depending on the quirk in question. It is from this, it is safe to equate a quirk to a muscle; the more it is strained, the better it shall grow. Whether or not there is a limit to how far has yet to be determined._

Three tons. That is how much she could lift before she would vomit. She used to think it was a pretty high weight, but after lifting Momo's cannon Ochako realised it was practically nothing. What if someone was trapped under rubble? She wouldn't have time to measure its weight, and trying to weightless something she had no idea she could handle could give her more than queasiness.

 _As I am now, I'll be putting people in danger if I try and help them. As I am now, I'm useless._

She looked at the dump again, a tenseness coiling in her muscles.

 _I'm useless, but I won't give up. I'll get my parents the life they deserve, and give them that trip to Hawaii! I might never catch up to Deku-kun… but I won't be someone who drags him down. I owe it to him as a friend!_

Ochako hopped over the wall and landed on the sand. Taking off the Walkman and putting it on a nearby bench, she gave her hands a quick dust off and placed her fingertips on an old fridge.

She took a breath and made it weightless.

* * *

Shoto always pushed himself. Everyday he would take his body and quirk to its limits, repeating the same routines over and over again until all he could do was walk to bed and pass out. It's what got him into UA on a special recommendation, and it's what got him the reputation of being good enough to be a top ten pro hero. It was the one thing he prided himself in, the distant goal of surpassing his father seeming that much closer.

Then he saw Midoriya Izuku in action.

At first, during the tests, he thought Midoriya's quirk was a strong, and impressively flexible, strength enhancement quirk. As expected of someone with such power, his form was sloppy, relying on the fact he could overpower anything in his way. Shoto planned to show him brawn could only get him so far.

Then Midoriya beat him in the mock battle, apparently planning around Bakugo's irrationality and Shoto's preferred method of capturing people. This only increased Shoto's observations, and he was soon left confused between Midoriya's power and his meek personality.

It was his battle against the Noumu that put him into perspective. The power and speed of which he moved reminded Shoto of All Might. His final punch was a testament to that too, the shockwave making Shoto brace himself against a wall of ice.

It was that punch that made him someone to be surpassed. And with the upcoming sports festival, Shoto would show him that he was nowhere near good enough. He'd show his father he didn't need his power too.

He focused on the world around him, determined not to follow the line of thought his father would have made. It was then he noticed he was outside the hospital.

Why do his feet always take him there on the way home?

Todoroki Shoto always pushed himself.

* * *

Katsuki had been quiet since he got home. His parents were giving him strange looks, but he didn't give a shit, he had a lot to think about and it wasn't any of their business.

That whole USJ crap put a lot into perspective, and while Katsuki knew he was the strongest, he also knew when he could become stronger. It was that mindset that put him above all the others in school, right at the top where he belonged.

He was a great fighter. He studied his quirk inside and out. He was the smartest in class. The best in sports.

And all that went away because he took a little dip in some water.

As soon as he was back home he locked himself in his room, and poured all that he could in redesigning his costume. The obvious solution was waterproof gloves, but he couldn't find a material that was porous enough to let his explosions through. He could label it as a concept; as much as it annoyed him, the nerds in the development course would think of a solution better than he could.

While he was working on his costume he decided to take another look at his gauntlets. Even he had to admit they were too over the top, the explosions themselves damaged the internal mechanisms, and they packed a lot more punch than he thought they would. Perhaps there could be a way to make charges; three separate shots at a third of the current power. It would make sure he wouldn't waste his ace in the hole in one shot as well.

He could have used it against that creepy bastard.

Katsuki looked at his arm, remembering his gauntlet decaying under the villain's touch. No one had come close to touching Katsuki in all his life. And no one but Deku had been able to take his blasts.

Whoever that guy was, he was strong. Possibly stronger than Katsuki.

And that pissed him off.

He stormed out of his room and down the stairs, his thunderous steps drawing the attention of his mother. "Oi, where are you going?"

"Out," he bit back.

"At least be quiet about it, you brat. Your dad's trying to sleep."

"Whatever." He slammed the door behind him and heard his mother shout. He was heading to the gym. Next time he saw that fucker the bastard wouldn't be so lucky.

* * *

Izuku's weekend went by in a whirl.

Recovery Girl's treatment kept him floored for two days straight. During that time his mother made good on her promise and brought him his favourite meals, along with his own pillow. It stopped him from waking up with an ache in his neck, and its familiar smell reminded him he would be home at some point.

It was when All Might came to visit that Izuku's world was turned on its head again.

As soon as the door closed, and he promised not to be too surprised, Izuku watched as the number one hero disappeared into a puff of smoke to be replaced by a skeletal man. Even watching it happen before his eyes, it took Izuku a few moments to really digest that it was All Might, his father, standing in front of him.

He was then told of the injury that atrophied him over the years, and the great battle that caused it. What followed afterwards was an explanation of his quirk.

" _One For All?"_

" _Yes. It is no coincidence that your quirk is identical to mine. One For All is a quirk that can be passed from one person to the next, like a torch. All it requires is an exchange of DNA and a wish for the power to be transferred to another person."_

" _So then… how did I get it?"_

 _All Mi - Yagi Toshinori looked away and scratched his cheek. "I suppose wishes are fickle things. That night, I wanted nothing more for it to last forever. A part of me wanted to give it all up. I guess that was my wish."_

 _That night? Wait… he didn't mean…_

" _And, I guess, uh, there was an exchange of DNA - "_

 _That's all Izuku heard before he made some kind of squawking noise and covered his ears._

He blushed at the memory, feeling his ears grow hot. That was information he really didn't have to know. Especially since it involved his _mum_. Izuku shuddered.

The school was just as lively as ever, seemingly recovered from the attack on USJ. He even overheard some students talking about how they got fired up over the attack, determined not to let it happen again.

1-A, however, was a little different. When he opened the door, _a lot_ of eyes turned to him. In seconds he was bombarded with pats on the back from Kaminari and Kirishima, the latter commenting on how 'manly' he was during the attack.

The girls expressed how relieved they were that he was better, with Asui giving a simple 'you looked a lot worse before.' Ashido was next, hopping up to him and getting _too_ close, babbling at speed about how awesome he was, complete with punches and 'whooshes'.

Uraraka was the last, giving him a smile that made his heart do a little flip. "I'm glad you're okay, Deku-kun." For some reason he started blushing.

Then Iida burst through the crowd. "Make way! Make way! Our friend Midoriya-kun needs some space! Let me escort you to your seat, I am sure you need some rest!" he was being pulled along before he could object.

"I - I'm fine, Iida-kun! Really! Besides, I need to ask Ojiro-san something."

"Oh?" The boy in question said. "What is it, Midoriya-san?"

Izuku suddenly felt shy. He poked his fingers together and looked around the room. "Well… I was wondering, with your costume, do you do martial arts?"

"I do," he nodded.

"Ah. Well… I was wondering if… possibly… youcouldteachmesomestuff?!"

"What was that?"

Izuku took a breath. _Chin up_. He looked at Ojiro. "I was wondering if you could teach me some stuff?"

Ojiro actually looked surprised. "I mean, I guess? Why come to me though? A sensei would be better."

"I know that, but…" Come on Izuku, just say it. Explain it through like everything else. "With all the work we'll get here, I think it would be best to learn from someone I know. I might not be able to attend the classes outside of school, and on top of that… we could spar too. Not like I'm forcing you or anything! We don't have to spar! I just thought…"

"Midoriya-san." Izuku stopped rambling. "That sounds like a pretty good idea. I might not be good teacher, but I'll give it my best shot. What brought this on?"

Izuku looked at his arm, knowing there was a massive scar running down it. "Even though people keep saying I did well against Noumu, I really didn't. When it got serious, I didn't stand a chance. And before that… Before that all I've done is get beaten around." He remembered his mother trembling as she held him close. "I can't keep doing that anymore. I need to learn to fight."

Ojiro looked at him in understanding. "That makes sense, Midoriya-san. We'll figure something out when classes end, alright?"

Elated, Izuku nodded and went to his seat, just in time for Aizawa to enter. The teacher's right arm was in a sling, and his face had a few cuts on them. Aside from that, he looked no worse for wear. Izuku had saved him from the worse.

There was something strange about Aizawa's eyes though. They looked more somber than bored.

"Before I start this class, I have some bad news." Everyone glanced at each other, concerned. Aizawa sighed. "This morning, at six forty three, Thirteen passed away in hospital."

* * *

In a dark room, Tomura watched the news, scratching at his bandages. The USJ attack had been a failure, but his master insisted that they did a good job. Over the weekend their name had been on every news network, and doubt had sprung over UA's ability to care for its students.

Now they were reporting on the valiant hero who died trying to protect his pupils. The Space Hero Thirteen.

Tomura couldn't help but smile at the way he died. Slow and painful, decaying over a few days. It reminded him of his quirk. Then he remembered the two brats.

That green haired little hero and that blond kid had pissed him off to no end. Somehow, they had foiled his plans and made a mockery of his master's power. They made sure he got the bullet wounds too.

At least they gave him something nice in the end.

Their screams and blood had been in his dreams every night since.

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you for reading!

I said it wouldn't take long. Actually managed to stick to it this time. First of all, I want to thank everyone for their readership, and I'm so glad you've been enjoying the story. There have been some very flattering reviews and I really appreciate your feedback. One of the best things about this site is I can go back and change things, so if you find any plot holes, or have any advice on improvement, let me know.

Secondly, the next chapter will be a bit of exposition/training much like this one. I'll try to make it as interesting as possible, and i hope you come away with a few things learned as well!

Honestly, this story being some people's favourites makes me want to work harder, and I'll do my best to edit them a bit more. There are always words to cut, after all. Like that just then: 'after all'. That just doesn't need to be there. Unless you're trying to write a particular narrative voice of a character of course.

Anyway, thank you for reading, and I hope you all have a good week. Until next time!


	11. Conviction

_The gaps between beeps on the heart monitor were too long. Aizawa knew Thirteen wouldn't last for too much longer._

" _Aizawa-senpai…"_

" _I'm here, Thirteen."_

 _The space hero stuttered on a breath. "The... the kids… are they okay?"_

 _Aizawa clenched his teeth. "Yeah, they're fine. They handled themselves well. Barely a scratch on them."_

 _Thirteen sighed. "I'm glad. I'm sorry I couldn't save them."_

" _Don't worry about that. Those villains were prepared, and you did your job as a hero. They're safe thanks to you."_

 _Thirteen's eyelids drooped. "I wish I could have taught them more."_

" _I'm sure that speech you gave will stick with them for the rest of their lives."_

 _Thirteen chuckled. "You know… I worked on that for weeks. Recovery Girl helped me with it."_

 _Aizawa laughed as well. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."_

 _There were a few moments of silence before Thirteen spoke again. "Tell the kids not to worry, please. Tell them they aren't to blame."_

" _I will. I promise."_

" _Good. The worst part about being a hero… are all the lives you fail to save. It eats at you. I guess that can be the last thing I can teach them. That they aren't to blame for everything."_

 _Aizawa hoped they would learn that later in their school life. "I have to go now, Thirteen."_

" _Okay, senpai. My family will be here soon. It'll be nice to see them."_

" _Ah. Give them my regards." He would give them an apology later._

 _Before he got to the door, Thirteen called out to him. "Aizawa-senpai." He turned. "It's been an honour working with you, Eraserhead."_

 _Aizawa's throat clenched. "You too, Thirteen. Goodbye."_

" _Goodbye, senpai."_

Aizawa looked at the class. It hit him harder than he thought, looking at their faces fall and their gasps ring out. Even Bakugo and Todoroki had strange expressions. Ashido started sobbing. The girl was by Thirteen's side the whole time. Their disbelief rolled in like a tide.

"This can't be true…"

"What the hell…"

"No…"

"Why?"

Among the sea of noises, one voice erupted. "Shut the fuck up!" That voice was, of course, Bakugo's. "You think he'd like you all acting like a bunch of whiny bitches?! He didn't die so you could sit there feeling sorry for yourselves!" The wild look, so prevalent in his outbursts, wasn't there, instead replaced by a calm fury. "He did his job. He tried to protect you. And you know what? Instead of asking why, you should be getting pissed! You think I'm gonna let those fuckers get away with that shit?!"

"That's enough, Bakugo," Aizawa said. "I appreciate your guts, but an attitude like that'll get you killed. The League of Villains aren't your problem to deal with. You're not pros yet." He looked across the class again, their faces a range of emotion. Kirishima looked fired up. "But Bakugo is right about one thing: you can't let this get to you. Thirteen knew the risks of being a pro hero, and given the choice he would do it again. Know this, one of his last words to me were to tell you that you're not to blame. Not for his death, not for the attack. He only asked that you remember what he told you.

"So take his words and listen to my advice. That pain your feeling now, turn it into strength. Train harder. Become stronger. But never forget that your quirks are there to help, not just hurt."

He let his words settle over the class. Surprisingly, Midoriya was the first to square his shoulders, a determined frown on his brow. The fight against the Noumu must have changed something in him. Brushes with death tended to do that to people.

"Now, on with the lesson."

* * *

The school was notably more quiet when lunch rolled around. The usual sound of shouting and excited voices was now a sea of whispers. Glances were thrown at 1-A as they moved through the cafeteria as a class. Kacchan was quick to voice his displeasure.

"These extras need to learn to mind their own fuckin' business," he snarled, loud enough for other to hear. Some people turned away. Kacchan tutted.

"They're just curious," Kirishima said.

"Well they can be curious somewhere else. I want to eat in peace."

They collected their meals in silence and found a suspiciously empty table that they sat around. Whether the teachers organised it or not, Izuku didn't know, but he was grateful regardless.

They picked at their food. Even Kacchan was glaring at his food more than he was eating it. A sniffle came from Izuku's side. Uraraka was holding back tears.

"A-are you okay, Uraraka-san? I remember you saying you really liked Thirteen a lot."

She sniffed again. "Yeah, he was my favourite. I mean, All Might is amazing, but Thirteen had something about him. He was so kind, and even though his quirk was scary, and you couldn't see his face, you knew you would be alright."

"Indeed," Iida chimed in, "he was a hero in every way."

"Remember that landslide a few years ago when he made his debut?" Sato asked.

The class leaned forward. "Yeah! There were a ton of people trapped and he just floated in and sucked all the rubble away! All the people left behind were super shocked!" Ashido exclaimed. "And remember that time when - "

They continued trading stories about the late hero and soon enough their spirits were rising again. Their noise also picked up the rest of the room, and everyone began talking in their normal tones.

The final story ended with a chuckle. "You know," Izuku began, "even though he's gone, he's still here, isn't he? The people he saved, the acts he did, the lessons he taught… They'll never fade." Izuku looked up from his plate and blushed. Everyone was staring at him.

"You're right, man!" Kaminari said.

"We must not let his legacy down." Yaoyorozu nodded.

"Aizawa-sensei was right," Iida said. "We must turn everything Thirteen-san taught us into strength. With the sports festival soon to be upon us, I will use his spirit to train harder than ever before! Who is with me?!"

The table cheered, only the quiet people like Todoroki, Koda and Tokoyami staying silent, instead giving resolute nods. Kacchan was stuffing his face, but Izuku saw a look in his eyes. A look he wore when he wanted to prove something. Then again, he always aimed to be number one.

* * *

"I'm sorry I can't walk with you to the station," Izuku said to Iida and Uraraka.

Uraraka smiled. "It's fine, Deku-kun. I've got something to do too, so I'll be missing the station as well."

"Okay then. I'll see you tomorrow!"

They said their goodbyes and Izuku turned to Ojiro. "Ready, Midoriya-san?"

"Yes."

They went to an empty training hall. The school had several that they used for class activities, but there were around six arenas for straight combat fighting. Izuku and Ojiro took the smallest.

After Izuku changed into his gym clothes, he went out to the arena to see Ojiro in his hero costume gi. A strike pad was lying by his feet, with some focus mitts behind him. "So, Midoriya-san, how much experience do you have?"

It was embarrassing to admit, but, "I don't really have any. I mean, I've watched films and stuff, and seen heroes in action, but I've never been in a fight until UA started."

Ojiro looked surprised. "I'd have thought you'd know something, considering your quirk." He must have seen Izuku's downcast expression. "Anyway, that's why we're here, right? Considering you're a complete beginner, I think it's best if I start you off on some boxing punches."

Izuku thought he would be taught more eastern arts. "Why boxing, Ojiro-san?"

"Instead of something like karate? I personally think boxing is better for beginners; its punches are sharp and simple, the stance is easy to grasp, and it compliments your quirk a lot. That's not to say it's hard to master, every martial art is."

"Which do you think is the best?"

"If you asked my sister, she would have said our family's is the best," he said with a chuckle. "I, personally, don't think any are the best. Some specialise in different things, for sure, but in the end we only have two arms and two legs. You learn a technique in one martial art, cross a country or town and find they use the same thing. In the end you learn to punch, kick, and turn every part of your body into a weapon.

"That's why my family is a little different. We have tails, so it adds another limb to the game. Anyway, what I'm trying to say that it's not the weapon you wield, but how you use it." He stood next to Izuku and sunk down into a stance. "Now, just follow what I do. We'll work on your jabs and straights. Master these and you'll stop a fight in seconds."

They trained for an hour. During that time, Ojiro taught Izuku the motions of the punches and how to rotate his shoulders and hips to provide the most power. When Ojiro was sure Izuku understood, he put on the focus mitts and did some drills. By the end, Izuku could already tell his coordination had improved.

"You're doing good, Midoriya-san. You've picked this up fairly fast."

Izuku rubbed the back of his head. "Well, you're a good teacher, Ojiro-san."

He laughed. "No I'm not. I dumped some philosophy on you and got way too technical in my explanations. Sometimes it's better to say 'punch this way' and correct any mistakes. Instead I made sure you wouldn't make the mistakes."

"It's not a problem, Ojiro-san. I think things through too much anyway…"

Ojiro smiled. "Well, Midoriya-san, I have one thing left to teach you today. A punch I want you to practice as much as you can. A reverse punch." At Izuku's confusion, he continued. "It's an extremely powerful punch from karate. You start with your right hand here, resting on your bottom ribs. Keep your other hand out in a guard. Left leg forward, bent. Back leg straight. Right hip cocked back. Now, here's the trick: use your hips to launch the punch."

Izuku did.

"That's pretty good. But you're leaning too far forward, and your stance has collapsed. All that punch turned into was arm power. Don't worry about it too much though, we'll work on it some more. It's a punch you never really master."

Izuku bowed. "Thank you for the lesson, Ojiro-san."

Ojiro bowed back. "It's no problem, Midoriya-san. You available tomorrow?"

"I am."

"Then we'll work on your movement. At the end we can spar."

Izuku was nervous, but pushed it down. He nodded. "Sounds good, Ojiro-san."

* * *

Down at the beach, Ochako was on her hands and knees, eyes clenched as she fought back a wave of nausea. She had already thrown up and even though no one was watching, she was thoroughly embarrassed. Why couldn't she just hiccup when she overused her quirk? It would have been a lot cuter.

Her stomach stopped swimming and she slowly rested back on her knees. She had returning attacks before, and she didn't want to risk it. The sea air did a lot to quell the dizziness, and running sand through her fingers helped distract her from her somersaulting stomach.

There was one bad thing about being alone: her thoughts went to Thirteen. Meeting him in person had been a dream come true; it only solidified her dream to become a rescue hero. But now… she didn't want to follow that path anymore. Of course, she still wanted to rescue people, and her quirk would help monumentally in earthquakes, but now she wanted to be on the front lines, defending people from villains. Villains like the ones who killed Thirteen.

 _I'll become stronger, Thirteen. I won't let you down!_

She stood and turned back to the dump. It didn't look like she had made any progress. Most of the things she had been lifting were small but numerous, and she could only carry them a small distance before her head span. So, in the end, all she had done was spread the litter along the beach. She was frustrated, but refused to give up.

 _The more I push myself, the better I'll get. Even if it takes me years, I'll clean this beach._

She was about to get back to work when she heard footprints on the sand. A few feet away, staring out into the sea, was a skinny man with wild blond hair. Something about him was familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"Excuse me, are you okay?" He didn't hear her. "Excuse me!"

He turned, surprised. "Oh, sorry. I'm fine, little miss, don't worry about me."

"I know this sounds weird, but do I know you from somewhere?"

His eyes widened and he chuckled. "Hahaha, that _is_ pretty weird! I've never seen you before in my life! Hahaha!"

The guy was laying it on pretty thick. "Okay…"

"And what are you doing here at the beach? It's not the best spot in town."

Ochako looked at the sea, set ablaze by the setting sun, the distant swish of the tide caressing her ears. "I lost someone recently. I didn't really know them that well, but I looked up to them."

The man hummed. "That's the reason I'm here too. This place helps me think. You ask yourself what you could have done, what you could have changed. It's something I still struggle with. But I got some good advice once." She looked at him. He smiled toothily. "Never stop smiling. Easy to say, hard to do. But if you can smile through the pain, then it shows your spirit has the strength to go on."

She didn't have it in her to smile just yet, but maybe soon. "Thank you. I needed that."

"No problem, kiddo."

"To be honest, it's not the whole reason I'm here." Why did she feel so at ease speaking to a stranger about this? "I'm here to strengthen my quirk by cleaning the beach."

"Oh?"

"I can make things weightless, but it has a weight limit. In the grand scheme of things, it's really small, so I want to become stronger so when somebody is in trouble I can help without hesitation."

"I'm guessing you haven't made much progress." She nodded. "You know, it may not look like it, but I'm actually a personal trainer." With how thin he was, he really didn't look like it. For some reason, envisioning him with massive muscles standing eight feet tall wasn't that hard to do. Maybe he was just past his prime.

"How about I help you take the first step in strengthening your quirk?"

She thought about it. "I would be grateful." Nothing else had worked, so she might as well try.

He smiled. "Great. It's fairly simple, but it won't feel good." He walked over to the dump. "The name's Yagi, by the way."

She bowed. "Uraraka Ochako. Pleased to meet you."

"Now why don't you lift up to your limit?"

She spent some time floating fairly small objects, adding little bits to know when she was hitting her limit. After floating a blender she felt her stomach tighten. "That's it," she said unevenly.

"That's good." Yagi walked up to her, a toaster in hand. "Now take this."

"I can't!"

"Can't, or won't?"

"I'll be sick!" She was struggling to keep it down now.

"Then be sick. Just don't let go of what you're floating. Keep it up." He held the toaster towards her. "Push forward."

She raised a shaky hand, driven by his glowing eyes. She touched it.

It was like a weight that dragged down her brain fell into her stomach and sent everything shooting up. She doubled over, throwing up twice as bad as she ever had before. It didn't even compare.

"Keep hold, Uraraka," she heard through ringing ears. She held onto the weight inside. "That's it!"

She threw up again. She was burning from the inside out. Her skin was slick with sweat and her hair was plastered to her face. It felt like her brain was being crushed, like she was a thousand leagues beneath the sea, drifting and helpless.

Through it all she never let go.

Not when she dry heaved. Not when her stomach squoze erratically, trying to force up something that wasn't there anymore. She held on.

"There we go. Let go now, Uraraka."

It was like she had been born again. She gulped in the fresh air before coughing. Tears were streaming down her face. A hand rubbed circles on her back, and for a second she was reminded of her dad. Yagi was speaking to her, but it was muffled. Through the prickly feeling on her skin, to the burning of her throat and stomach, Ochako felt something shift inside her.

She didn't know how long it took her to regain her energy, but the sun had just started to disappear into the sea when her vision cleared. Yagi had stayed by her the whole time.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I just threw everything outta me." She didn't even bother hiding her accent.

"Anything else?"

She felt for that _something_ again. "I'm not sure… there's somethin', but I can't place it."

"Then you've succeeded."

It didn't feel like she did. "So I can lift more now?"

"One toaster more."

Something horrible dawned on her. "I'll have to go through that again every time?"

He helped her sit and handed her some water. She wanted to gulp it down so badly, but she knew sips were the only way to go. She didn't want to throw up again. "You shouldn't. At least, not to that extreme. Getting sick is part of your quirk, a weakness you'll always have. What you just did is different.

"You 'broke' your quirk." She must have seemed alarmed. "It's nothing bad. In fact, it's a crucial step in building your quirk, and the hardest. You've broke the limits it's always had, just like when people tear muscle fibres when they're working out. From now on, you won't be confined to that limit. Every time you push yourself to the brink, it will grow to accommodate. Your body doesn't want to go through it all again.

"Every hero must do it at some point, and there is always a limit to just how strong a quirk can be. It's up to you now to find just how high you can push that limit."

The tone of his speech reminded her of a mentor. It was like how Thirteen and Aizawa spoke. And, just like them, his words lifted another shackle from her heart. Tears welled in her eyes. "Thank you, Yagi-san. Thank you so much."

He smirked. "It's no problem. I wouldn't be much of an instructor if I didn't help where I could. Besides, I like that fire you've got." He stood, hair glinting in the light. "Now, when you've got enough energy I'll walk you home."

"I'll be fine, Yagi-san." He didn't seem like the kind of person who could walk for too long.

"If you're worried about me, don't be. I've got a scooter," he said, pulling the keys out of his pocket. "Should be enough room for you on the back."

Ochako giggled. "I'd appreciate it, Yagi-san."

* * *

Toru pulled her chin over the bar. One hundred. She dropped quietly and went into press ups.

She'd been doing he routine for half an hour, and she had only began counting three minutes ago. _Only start counting when it hurts_. Her arms burned and sweat dripped onto the floor as she held the press up down. It was a counting system she thought of that brought good results. For each number she was on, she would hold the strenuous position for as many seconds. Fifth press up meant five seconds. The fiftieth, fifty.

It left her body crying out in pain by the end, and she barely had the strength to get herself into bed, but it kept her body in the shape it needed to be to utilise her quirk. It didn't help her father's voice wouldn't leave her alone.

 _Twenty five._

She considered the sports festival. She wondered what her father would have advised her to do. On the one hand, he wanted her to exceed and be the best, on the other he trained her in espionage and how to remain out of sight. It was the reason she built up her bubbly persona, and the reason she didn't want to try too hard at the festival.

Even if she did commit herself to it, she doubted she would win. No matter what they faced in the opening rounds, in the end they would end up fighting each other, and while Toru was excellent in hand to hand, it meant nothing to quirks like Bakugo's and Todoroki's. She could use her invisibility, but getting close would be impossible. They could just fire them off whenever they wanted.

So she would keep training. If she got through, she got through, but the variables didn't add up to her victory.

* * *

Sato Rikido was in his kitchen, baking a variety of cupcakes. Every now and then he would taste the mix to make sure it had the right balance.

He was trying to make the right type of fuel for the sports festival. Too much sugar and he'd burn out too quick. Too little and he'd barely gain any strength at all. Asking for sugar packets wasn't a good solution either; he couldn't just stop in the middle of a challenge and take a quick shot. The people he would be up against would take advantage immediately.

He'd practiced his wrestling too, his dad more than willing to throw him around the room over and over again. His 'failed' experiments went to his little sister, whose quirk was completely opposite to his. She gained brains instead of losing them. After only a few cupcakes she had blasted through her homework, and started helping him with the mixture.

She took a bite out of his most recent creation. She hummed as she chewed. "I think we're almost there. A few more grams of brown sugar?"

He smiled. "I was thinking the same thing."

"I'm surprised you can think at all with that head of yours."

"And I'm surprised you managed to get through the door with how big yours is. Now pass me the sugar."

"Touché, brother. Touché."

* * *

Koda Koji asked his friends for advice. After they apologised for the loss of Thirteen, they started giving him tips.

 _You should fly around them, bzz bzz!_

 _Dig a hole and go under them!_

 _Gather the army. Salt the fields. Pillage the lands. Build the colony._

 _Don't fight, just hop on out of there._

 _Why are you bothering me again?_

 _Let's play! Let's play! Throw the stick, please, I'm beggin ya! I need he stick man!_

Maybe he should ask his parents instead.

 _Just do your best, Koda-kun._ Said his owl. _We'll be with you the hole way. If you need help, just call._

His friends cheered in response. He teared up. "Thanks guys!"

* * *

Aoyama Yuga reclined on his couch, flicking through a magazine. He totalled up the cost of the clothes he wanted to get, as well as that fancy lava lamp he saw. A plate of cheese and crackers lay on the table beside him.

Life was good.

He deserved it after cramping his stomach so bad he couldn't walk.

* * *

Mina was doing her aerobics, ready to go acid skating in the backyard.

"Hey, move your pink butt away from the TV!" Her brother said, swatting the air.

She put her hands on her hips. "Well at least I'm doing something important! I've got a big thing coming up, and I won't let Thirteen down!"

"Can't you do something important somewhere else? Preferably not in front of the TV?"

"There's no space anywhere else."

"Go out back!"

"I don't want that neighbor staring at me!"

"You're going out there anyway!"

"That doesn't matter!"

"What?! Just move!"

"No!"

"Move!"

"Make me!"

And that's how she got into a wrestling match with her brother instead of training. So much for getting off to a good start. Hopefully her brother wouldn't be such a butt the next day.

* * *

Tsuyu was at a playground for the more aquatically inclined. It was a large pond that went fairly deep, with jungle gyms and hoops under the water for kids to enjoy. Small concrete islands had much of the same.

She used this to practice her flexibility. Chances were she would be deprived of water during the sports festival, so practicing her hopping would be a must.

She tried jumping further, higher, and for longer than she had ever done before. She even practiced her short hops, dashing around the islands as fast as she could. By the end of it her legs were burning.

Regardless, she had to head back home and cook her siblings dinner. She couldn't put up with their complaining if they got hungry.

* * *

Ojiro Mashirao was practicing his kata when his sister walked by the dojo.

"Hard at work I see."

He wiped the sweat off his brow with a towel. "Yeah." He nodded to the bags slung over her shoulders. "Going somewhere?"

She sighed in exasperation, which Mashirao knew was fake. She loved attention. "Just another bunch of sidekicks to teach over in Germany."

"You haven't been there before." And that was saying something.

Her tail flicked as she brushed her hair. "Yeah, it should be fun. It's a shame it's going to be so boring though. Those amateurs never seem to get it."

"Maybe it's your teaching. You can be quite harsh."

Her neutral expression quickly changed to a haughty glare. "Oh? And when did you get so good at training, Mashi-sensei?" She flicked him on his forehead, fast enough to prove he could never catch it. "Remember who's the best here, Mashi." She slid her eyes from him and went to the door. "I'll be back in a month or two. Don't be too much of a disappointment at the festival, okay? I don't think dad can take any more."

With that last scathing remark she was gone.

A flash of rage shot through Mashirao and he strode over to the makiwara, throwing a solid reverse punch that shook his arm. When his breathing slowed, shame flooded through him. He lost control again.

* * *

"Denki, honey, do you want something from the store?"

"Wheeee!"

* * *

"Just do it, mum!"

"I really don't want to!"

"I'll be fine!"

Eijiro was standing in front of his mum, who was shaking as she held a baseball bat in her hands. He had been trying to get her to hit him for the past hour and wasn't about to give up. "Honestly, I took worse hits in the entrance exam. Come on, please?"

"I don't want to hurt you!"

"You won't, look!" He picked up a knife from the kitchen counter and pushed it against his stomach. There was a clank and a screech of metal. He pulled it away to show there was no blood. "See?"

His mum stared at the knife for a second before her eyes rolled back into her head and she passed out, the bat falling out her grip. Eijiro was lucky his dad was coming through the door to catch his mum in time. He looked at the knife in Eijiro's hand, down at his wife, then at the bat.

"Just what were you doing in here?"

* * *

Tenya came inside after his laps around the track. His engines were overheated, but the feeling filled him with pride and purpose. It was evidence he was pushing himself to his limit, and even further beyond that.

His brother and parents were busy, so he had the house to himself. It was quiet with it being so big, and Tenya could just imagine inviting Midoriya and Uraraka over to hang out. It would be a strange thing, to be sure, he never had friends around before. Never thought about it too much either.

There was a boon to an empty house though. He could practice his new technique in secrecy. He wanted to surprise his brother and parents with it, and shock the class too whilst he was at it.

Thinking about the others made him frown. He was their class president, yet he left them in their time of need. Like Midoriya and Tokoyami said, it was the right thing to do, but it didn't make the pill any less bitter.

His brother never used his quirk to run away. Only forwards.

So he would show his classmates and his family that he was someone they could rely on when things got bad. He could be a hero who saved all he could. A hero who didn't let his comrades fall. Even if it meant he had to best them at the festival.

* * *

Mezo Shoji found it hard to train his quirk. Aside from the speed of his transformations, all he could work on was his already massive strength. So, as he lifted his weights, he changed the forms of his other tentacles.

Through this he found he had a bit of trouble multitasking, and he couldn't change two tentacles at the same time.

As day turned to night, he continued his routine. Lift weights with one hand, push ups with the other, and have the rest shifting from object to object.

His mother left him too it, leaving food and drink outside his door. A perfect mixture of hydration and nutrition. He pulled down his mask to eat it, his mother's cooking one of the few things that could get him to. After all, having Michelin star chefs for parents meant he savoured the good things.

* * *

Jiro Kyoka had jacked in to her frequency reader, humming as she channelled pulses into the machine. What she was looking for, she didn't know, but reading sound would eventually give her an answer. It'd be pretty cool if she could make the signal that disabled that villain without her leg amps. With that he opponents would stand a chance.

Her door opened and her father walked in. "Hey, kiddo. How's it rocking?"

"Pretty fly," she replied with a smile. "Just trying some things out."

"That's cool. Experimentation can lead to some pretty rad stuff. Anyway, dinner is ready. We can have a jam later if you want."

She nodded. "That sounds cool, dad."

* * *

Sero Hanta smiled when his mum walked in. He was wrapped up on the ceiling, cocooned in his own tape.

She looked at him.

He looked at her.

She shook her head, sighed, and left the room.

Hanta's face fell. "Hey, that's not funny! Mum? Mum! Help me down at least! Or pass me some scissors! Mum!"

* * *

"Life is darkness," Tokoyami said.

"You really need to lighten up, pal," Shadow said.

Tokoyami curled his cowl (blanket) around himself. "From despair I shall grow stronger. A silent avenger." He flicked his arm out. "Villains will tremble before me!"

"There's two of us here, ya know?" Shadow said. "And would you quit it with that 'silent avenger' crap? We both know you're not like that. You're just a big softie."

Tokoyami frowned at his shadow. "Can't you just let me have this?"

"No. It's stupid. Now get back to training. I wanna win this thing and show the world how awesome I am!"

* * *

"I'm so happy to see you studying, Minoru!"

He smiled dazzlingly at his mum. "Of course I am! I'm in the top class after all, I have a reputation to maintain."

"I'm so proud of you. I'm just going to the convenience store, I'll be right back."

"Okay, see you soon!" The door clicked closed. Minoru chuckled and dropped the maths book, revealing the new issue of ' _Idols in Bikinis Monthly_ '. He sighed as he laid his eyes on the middle spread. "Oh, Mia-chan, you're too innocent for this world."

A drop of blood hit the page, right on her breasts. He cursed and picked up a tissue, pressing it against his flat head. He thought the bleeding had stopped already, and now it had defiled Mia-chan! Truly the life of a hero was a gruelling one indeed.

* * *

Momo did what she did best: studying. She analysed a few more items that could help her in the upcoming festival, and with a plate of cookies by her side made by the butler, she practised creating them over and over again.

The only thing she worried about was speed. There was only so fast she could think after all. Then again, maybe putting the equations into memorable patterns would help with construction. Or perhaps she could make a haiku or a sonnet. Or better yet, a lymeric!

Oh the possibilities were endless!

She shoved a handful of cookies into her mouth and scribbled her ideas down. Maybe she could find a cannon that wouldn't blow her classmates to smithereens. Like a sandbag cannon. Then again, that ruined the whole fun of cannons. They were meant to go boom. She lined the idea and the rough sketch out.

* * *

Shoto walked past his father on the way to his room.

"I see you still refuse to use your right side, Shoto," his voice boomed.

Shoto didn't turn around. It was how most of their 'conversations' went: back to back. His breath puffed in the air. "I don't need it to become number one."

"Foolish," his father quickly spat. "You were born as the best mix of mine and your mother's quirks. With them both you have no weaknesses."

Just to prove a point, Shoto's left side started to thaw from his father's heat. "I don't need it," he repeated and walked away.

"You can't run from your heritage forever, Shoto."

Yes, he could. And he will. Nothing on the earth would get him to accept his father's curse.

* * *

Katsuki looked at the crater he left behind in the Testing Park. It was a place he visited often; a regulated zone of baron land for people whose quirks packed a massive punch. Through the years Katsuki had grown a fearsome reputation among the other frequenters of the park. No one wanted to mess with the 'psycho kid'. The name was a sad way to hide their inferiority to him. He knew he scared them.

After his recent explosion, he doubted that they would come again if he was around. Lucky for them, he had UA to tear up now.

 _Through all my explosions, you've always stood back up, Deku. You treat them like they're fucking nothing. But this… this will blow you and anyone else who tries to fuck with me away. Even that half-half bastard._

After the festival, no on would look down on him again. Not even those fucking villains.

* * *

Izuku panted as he backed away from Ojiro. His classmate was standing strong, watching for any openings. Izuku tucked in his guard and was set upon with a jab. He slipped it and sent his own which was deflected to the side. Something slammed into his ankle and the world tilted as he fell, soon to be replaced with Ojiro's fist stopping just short of his nose.

It moved back and turned into an open hand. Izuku grabbed it and pulled himself up. Ojiro dusted off Izuku's shoulders.

"You got me again, Ojiro-kun."

"Don't sell yourself short, Midoriya-kun. That dodge was impressive, and until then you were deflecting my attacks pretty well."

That wasn't what Izuku remembered. He got stomped, taking dozens of hits and not landing a single one in return. "I just don't feel like I'm getting anywhere."

Ojiro went to get their water bottles. "Believe me when I say this: you've advanced amazingly in the past week. You forget I've been fighting for years. I'm just not going easy on you because I don't think you'll learn if I do. Unfortunately, we don't have anyone close to your level to practice against."

"So I'll have to wing it at the festival…"

Ojiro passed Izuku his water. "Just remember the basics and you'll be fine. Remember, quirks are allowed, so I have no doubt you'll blow through the competition. When you can land a hit on me, I want you to start using your quirk too. It'll be good to practice against an opponent who is faster and stronger than me."

Over the past week Izuku learned Ojiro had a way with words. Given the chance he would give very inspiring speeches, and Izuku knew it would serve him well as a hero. He had an approachable air about him too, which put Izuku's usual anxiety at the back of his mind.

"I'll take your word for it, Ojiro-kun."

He chuckled. "You should."

" _Midoriya Izuku, please report to the nurse's office. Midoriya Izuku, please report to the nurse's office._ "

"What's that about?"

Izuku remembered All Might wanted to talk to him. "Just a check up on my injuries from last weekend."

"You did get messed up pretty bad." Ojiro picked up his bag and went for the changing rooms. "I'll see you tomorrow, Midoriya-kun!"

Izuku said his farewells and made his way to Recovery Girl's office. He doubted All Might - Yagi Toshinori - wanted to wait there all day.

He was staring out the window when Izuku entered, his body drowned beneath his oversized clothes. "Ah, Izuku, I'm glad you're here. Take a seat."

Like Izuku did, they had been using different names for each other throughout the week. During lessons and in the hallways he was 'Young Midoriya' talking to 'All Might'. In private they were Midoriya-san and Yagi-san, Izuku-kun and Toshinori-san, Izuku and… well, he didn't really feel comfortable using his first name so casually. They never called each other what they were though: father and son.

"What's going on, Toshinori-san?"

"It's the sports festival tomorrow, isn't it?" Izuku nodded. Toshinori stood and went closer to the window. He was restless. "It's a chance to test your mettle against your peers. I know I was nervous when I did it the first time. It was around then when I received One For All."

He sighed and hung his head. "I know I don't really have a standing to ask you for anything, but I have a request."

"What is it?"

"I want you to win the sports festival." Izuku's eyes widened in shock. "Well, not win, wait _do win_ , just don't think I'm trying to pressure you or anything!" His backtracks weren't helping with the pressure!

"What I should really have said is make an impact." His eyes glowed in the sun and Izuku could feel something pressing upon him. "Although you didn't choose it, One For All is part of you now. How you use it is up to you, but I want you to do one thing for me. Say to all those watching that you are here. That they can look to you and see hope.

"All Might won't be around forever, and I want them to have hope when he goes once and for all. More importantly though…" He placed a hesitant hand on Izuku's shoulder. "I want you to have hope in yourself. You're stronger than you think."

Sitting there in the fading sun's glow, the eyes of the number one hero sparked a fire in his heart that burned through the weight of responsibility in his gut.

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you for reading!

I hope you enjoyed this montage-like chapter. Mostly dialogue, and more humorous in parts, but I wanted to fit all of class 1-A into one chapter and try to get their characters at least a little bit right. Next up will be the Sports Festival Arc!

Now on to reviews. Yet again I've been blown away by the reception this story has been getting. As of now, this story has 102 reviews, 326 favourites and 400 follows. It's insane. I'm glad you're all enjoying this and I hope you're looking forward to the next arc!

In regards to how far I'll take this story, I'm going to be going up to the Overhaul arc and then doing my own. When more cool things pop up in the manga (which they will, this is MHA after all) I'll be sure to use them. But for now that will be the end point of the canon arcs.

Again, thank you for reading and I look forward to your feedback!


	12. Obstacle Course

The Sports Festival was underway. Since seven in the morning, people had been flooding the UA grounds, partaking in games and eating at the many stalls set up. There was a mix of stalls, from local food and knick knack shops to giant manufacturing companies sporting their latest in hero gear. In the bustling crowds there was truly something for everybody.

Toshinori knew pushing through with the festival was a good idea. Among the merry makers there wasn't a hint of doubt or show of despair. Simply happiness. A couple of children ran by him into the stadium, laughing as their parents tried to catch up.

"Hey, Yagi-san, you coming?" asked Snipe from a group of UA staff.

Toshinori waved them off. "Not right now, sorry."

"You're not watching?"

"I will be. Just got something to do first."

"Ah, we won't keep you then. See you later!" Snipe waved as the group left.

Indeed, Toshinori had something much more important to do than sit around for the next hour. He checked his watch as more people passed by.

"Toshi!"

He looked to his left and saw Inko walking towards him, handbag slung over her shoulder. For a second he remembered her voice sounding a little lighter as she ran towards him, arm waving in the air.

He snapped back to the present when she came up beside him. "It's nice to see you, Inko."

"Sorry I'm a bit late. I've never been to the festival before; it's huge!"

She may have become mature in her stature, but the sparkle in her eyes was just the same. He chuckled. "It's fine. We still have an hour left until the ceremony starts, so we can have some fun before then."

She smiled. "Sounds good."

He got the idea to take Inko to the festival when he went to visit Izuku in the hospital. They had bumped into each other when she was leaving, and they slipped into a conversation as easy as they used to. After that, Inko suggested they go for a coffee to catch up some more. He agreed and after a short visit to Izuku, who was half asleep, they found a cozy little cafe.

Even after all the years apart, they still ordered the same drinks and the same cakes. Her features were more worn and rounded, speaking of late nights and anxiousness. He knew his were a stark contrast to what they used to be.

She told him about Izuku and how, before he got his quirk, he would jump around the house with an All Might hoodie fighting off imaginary villains. About how he got talented at drawing after dozens of notebooks were compiled.

There were sad stories too. When he came home with bruises and scrapes that she knew weren't accidents, and when she'd try to comfort him he would shy away from her touch. "The day he got his quirk he broke my ribs. He was so young, and he didn't know what was happening. All he knew was that he hugged his mama and she ended up in the hospital. I tried so hard to get him to open up after that, but… Anyway, it's getting better now, thanks to Shuzenji-san."

The stories filled him with pride and sorrow. It was strange, he thought, as the emotions swirled within him. Whatever happened to Izuku felt like it happened to him, like the boy was a phantom limb. When he said as much to Inko, she smiled over her cup.

"I feel the same. It's part of being a parent, I suppose. Their pain becomes yours, as well as their joy. Honestly, without Izuku, I wouldn't feel anything. At the start it can be quite frightening just how much your child means to you as you give more and more of yourself to them. They become your whole world. And I wouldn't have it any other way."

They finished up shortly after and when they left the cafe, Toshinori stopped her with a hand on her arm. "Um… I, uh."

Inko smirked. "Speechless?"

 _She pulled away, the ghost of her lips on his own. His mouth flapped open and closed. She smirked. "Took the words out of your mouth, Toshi?" She thought she'd won? She laughed as he swept her up before he claimed her lips with his._

Toshinori blinked the memory away. "Would you like to come to the festival?" he rushed out. It probably sounded like gibberish.

"That sounds nice."

"I thought no - eh?"

"That sounds wonderful, Toshi."

And so there they were, laughing as they went with the tide of people. At some point they had linked arms, carried away by their conversations and the delicious snacks in hand. Even though their sizes had changed, she still fit snugly into his side.

He said to himself earlier in the morning that he invited her just to catch up and to hear more stories about his estranged son, but with the way his heart was pumping he knew that was quickly changing. Even though they had only seen each other twice, she was working her way inside his heart again, whether she meant it or not.

"Ara~. What's this, Yagi-san?" No. No. Why, of all people, did it have to be _her_ that found them. Midnight strutted her way through the crowd and stopped in front of them. That smile was on her face. "When the others said you were busy, I thought you forgot something at home. But this…" She eyed Inko up and down and her smile grew.

"I'm Midoriya Inko," she said with a bow.

How much more could that devious woman's smile grow?! "Oh, Izu-chan's mother?" Inko nodded. "Your son is a great student." _That seemed like a throwaway comment_. "But just _what_ are you doing here with Yagi-san?"

Inko put a finger on her chin and tilted her head in a hauntingly familiar pose. _Please don't do this to me…_

"Well, I was having a good time watching some performers when Toshi came up from behind me." Midnight leaned forward. "He introduced himself as one of Izuku's teachers and he was really friendly. He even put his hand on my shoulder and said I could help get Izuku some 'extra credit'. I didn't know UA was so lax!"

Midnight looked at him, scandalised. "'Extra credit'? Yagi-san, what were you planning to do with poor Midoriya-san?"

"Don't worry, it sounded fun! It was something to do with red cushions and a hotel, but I can't remember it that well."

Midnight reeled back. "You sicko! You sick sick sicko!" She pulled out her whip.

Toshinori tried to back off, but Inko kept him in place with her arm. "M-Midnight, that's not it! Really!"

"You can't fool me, you creep! Here I thought you were better than that! People like you must be punished!"

He flinched as the whip came down. After a few seconds he noticed nothing hit him. He opened his eyes to see Midnight and Inko holding back a laugh and failing miserably. He sighed, too used to the women in his life teasing him. "Just let it out."

They roared with laughter, gathering the attention of a few people who were walking past. This carried on for at least a minute until the two were red in the face. Midnight wiped a tear from her eye. "That was brilliant, Midoriya-san! Who knew I would find such a good partner in crime!"

Toshinori felt miles behind. "How did you know she was lying?"

"It's a girl thing, Toshi. Don't worry yourself over it," Inko said with a smile that was _too_ innocent.

He huffed and checked his watch, which make the girls giggle. "It's time we should be heading for the stadium."

"Oh don't be like that, Yagi-san."

"No, seriously, look." He showed Midnight his watch. Her face fell into a look of horror and he hid a smirk.

"Oh crap, I'm gonna be late! See ya, Midoriya-san!" She dashed off.

Inko came up beside him. "You always get your own back, don't you?"

He let the smirk come out. "Well, since I can't kiss _her_ into submission, I have to make do with other means." His brain processed what he just said.

 _Why did I just say that?! Deflect, deflect! Abort!_

Inko blushed and he knew his own face was lighting up. His eyes were drawn to her lips before he shot them back up to her eyes, finding they were doing the same. "L-let's get our seats," he said.

"Y-yes," she replied. They unhooked arms on the walk back, but Toshinori's heart still thudded despite the distance. "I-I'm looking forward to Izuku's speech."

* * *

 _No one told me I had to make a speech!_

Apparently scoring first on the entrance exam meant he was required to do a speech 'as an upstanding student of the school'. The only thing he felt he was 'upstanding' on was jelly as his legs shook.

"Er…" The microphone whistled and everyone flinched. Izuku didn't know whether the blood was draining from his face or shooting up to it. And was that what his voice sounded like?! He looked down at his class and saw Kacchan's scowling face. He wasn't happy that he wasn't number one in the first place. A few people to his left, however, were smiling at him. Iida's glowing smile and Uraraka's double thumbs up did wonders for his confidence.

"H-hello…"

 _Don't think about the thousands here._

"I-I'm M-M-Midoriya I-Izuk-ku."

 _Or the millions watching at home. Especially them. Or mum and All Might._

He looked at the crowd again, zeroing in on his friends. Iida nodded and Uraraka smiled before mouthing something. " _You can do it!"_

" _Have hope in yourself. You're stronger than you think."_

Izuku closed his eyes and took a breath. He could almost imagine he wasn't there until he opened his eyes. "I-I want to s-start with this…" He felt the words form and it put his heart to rest. "Recently, we lost a hero very important to us. W-we didn't know him for that long but… we want to do him proud. A-as a class, and as a s-school. That m-means even if we lose, we know we did our best for Thirteen, so…"

The words had been taken away from him, leaving behind a black void. His throat started to close and his legs shook again.

"Hurry it up, Deku!"

Kacchan's shout forced some words out. He swooshed down in a bow in a speed which would have impressed Iida. "So let's have a good match!"

Midnight was quick to step in as soon as he was done. "Well done, kid," she said over the polite applause of the crowd. When Izuku took his place in the class, she carried on, immediately stealing the show. "Now then, enough of this foreplay! Let's get right into it!"

The crowd cheered.

"Today will consist of three different stages! Each stage will whittle down the number of contestants until we are left with a winner! The first stage will be an obstacle course meant to test a students' ability to adapt to any situation!"

She threw her arms out and struck a pose. "I'm sorry to be such a tease, but as for the other stages, you'll find out as soon as the students do!" She pointed her whip to the commentator box. "Take it away, Present Mic!"

" _Hey guys! Can I get an 'Awwww Yeah'?!_ " He did not get an 'aw yeah'. He cleared his throat. " _If you all look to the west of the stadium, you'll see an entrance._ " The walls of the stadium opened up. " _This is the starting point! The end is at the other side of the stadium! Doing whatever they can, students will be racing a lap around UA grounds for a place in the next stage!_

" _So kids, are you all ready?!_ " They turned to the opening. Izuku noticed it was far too narrow to let everyone through at once. " _GO_!" Like at the opening exams, it took people a few seconds to move, but when they did it was a stampede.

It was quickly halted though, when everyone's feet were encased in ice as Todoroki skated ahead. "Where do you think you're going fucker!" Kacchan screamed as he blasted the ice away and launched himself forward. "I'm going to be number one!"

More students were breaking themselves free, slowly making a massive crowd again. If Izuku didn't hurry up the race would be over before it started.

" _I want you to win the sports festival. Say to those who are watching that you are here, that they can look to you and see hope."_

Sparks flew from his body as One For All ran through his veins. The ice beneath him cracked.

 _Thirteen._

 _Mum._

 _All Might._

 _Everyone._

 _I won't let you down._

It wasn't just about him anymore. He had his desires to become a hero, to be someone that saved instead of hurt, to cast aside his past of pain. But now he knew his power wasn't just his. It was the result of decades of work towards bringing the world to peace. All Might had fulfilled that wish. Now it was Izuku's turn to uphold it, to become a hero just like All Might.

And to become like All Might he had to be number one.

 _I finally get it, Kacchan. Why you want to be the best._

Todoroki summoned an ice wall to keep them in, but it was quickly demolished by Kacchan.

Izuku tensed his legs and _ran_.

A few strides were all it took to catch up to Kacchan and keep an even pace. Through the wind rushing in his ears, Izuku heard Kacchan shout his name followed by the distinct crackling of his quirk.

Heat blasted against Izuku's face and he tripped, tumbling along the floor until he righted himself. When he looked up he saw a legion of faux villains from the entrance exam led by three massive zero pointers who were iced to the floor.

Kacchan, who pulled ahead again, flew himself up and blasted one in the head, sending out a shower of gears, wires and bolts to the ground below. The robot's frame groaned as it fell backwards, billowing a cloud of dust as it smashed into the ground.

 _You won't get away from me, Kacchan!_

Izuku jumped into the air and increased the channel of One For All in his body. As the zero pointer grew closer, he crossed his arms in front of his face before he slammed into its torso. He sunk into the metal and he felt the robot tilt backwards. When he felt it fall, Izuku pushed off and launched through the air before landing in a roll and continuing in a sprint.

* * *

It was like there were two races going on: one between the top students who were far ahead, and the other between the rabble who were left. Before the race even started, she knew it would be this way. Bakugo and Todoroki weren't just extremely talented, but driven too. Combine that with their quirks and it was obvious they would pull ahead. Deku wasn't that shocking either, his quirk amplified his whole body after all, and she'd seen him move faster against the Noumu.

But just because those three were ahead, it didn't mean she would fall behind too. The first step was getting out from the pile up in the corridor.

Pressing her fingers together, Ochako jumped and floated over the crowd. It was a slow drift, she didn't have much space for propulsion, but it was faster than shoving her way through the crowd.

After a few seconds she reached the break away point, where the leaders of the back were starting to break away from the rest. Finding a good spot, she released her quirk and landed into a run, passing by a few other students.

The first 'obstacle' was a steep incline that had her legs quickly burning. Other students were quickly running out of breath and others were just dropping to their knees. This set the athletic students out from the rest. After all, it didn't matter how powerful your quirk was if you couldn't respond to an emergency on time.

Thankfully, while Ochako wasn't in prime shape, spending her life in the countryside and getting outside as much as she could helped keep her fit, especially with the rolling hills. Soon enough, she was nearing the top, only a little bit winded.

With a weightless hop, she cleared the ridge and landed straight into a battle zone. The faux villains from the entrance exam were being trashed left and right by those with stronger quirks; she spotted Sato throwing one into another before running through the gap.

Rising above the swarm were huge chunks of metal that Ochako realised were treads. Very familiar treads. It was only when she got close did she notice they were zero-pointers. Deku and the others must have blasted through them.

Just as Ochako was about to make her own gap, she felt the wind rush past her ears, the faint whistle of jet turbines following the gale. A blue trail weaved its way through the mass of machines and shot through the other side, overtaking the students who just made it out. Iida.

Ochako pushed her legs harder, keeping her hands up to clear anything that stood in her way.

There was a screech of tires and a spray of dirt. Ochako covered her eyes with her left arm and pushed through, reaching out for the threat she knew was inside. Her fingers brushed against metal. With a quick push it was sent away, followed by another which was thrown into the air.

She felt the weight on her brain strain and she quickly released her hold. She was too far ahead to see them fall.

Green appeared at the side of her vision. She was so caught up in her own pace she lost focus. Her heart flipped in panic, but instinct took hold of her and she went low, ducking under the robot's swing. Moving forward, she grabbed its leg and threw it into the air before releasing it, causing it to crush several other bots.

When she looked forward, she saw the robots were thinning, a few of them trying to catch students in vain.

Knowing the worst was out of the way, Ochako picked up her pace, a determined look set on her face.

* * *

The canyon had slowed Todoroki considerably. Apparently, it took a bit more time to form a ramp of ice than it did to freeze an entire building. Izuku would write it down later.

At the moment he was busy hopping from rocky pillar to pillar, clearing at least two in a single bound. Kacchan had pulled ahead of them both, his lack of needing to land pushing him further away.

Izuku wished he had time to adjust his channeling level, to crank it up another five percent, but he couldn't afford even a second of reducing himself to zero percent power. He really needed to ask All Might about his control; the past week had the number one hero doing several press conferences, reassuring that the festival was safe to hold.

Izuku made another leap and looked beneath him to see Todoroki sliding by, shooting ice from his hand into a slope that he ramped off onto the next platform.

Izuku landed right next to him and quickly took off again, narrowly avoiding a wave of ice.

Up ahead, Kacchan was slowing down, the explosions in his hands becoming less frequent. Izuku knew he was nowhere near depleted though, Kacchan wasn't stupid enough to burn all his energy at once. He might be getting ready for the final sprint.

Izuku decided to take the chance to push forward. On his next leap, he made sure to keep clear of Todoroki's path. Getting knocked down now would cost him the race. After a couple more leaps he was on Kacchan's tail and, in a bold move, he reached out for his leg.

As soon as his hand locked around Kacchan's ankle, his childhood friend looked down at him with burning eyes. It paralysed Izuku enough for Kacchan to aim a hand at him. "Get the fuck off me, Deku!"

Izuku was blown away in a bang and sent sailing through the air, smoke trailing after him. He slammed into the ground, thankfully on a pillar, and quickly shook off the dull throb on his back. He didn't have time to rest.

Todoroki flew past and Izuku kicked off, both of them closing in on the end of the canyon where Kacchan had landed. They hit the ground at the same time and went straight into a sprint. Soon enough, they were level, with Izuku pushing slightly forward.

That's when a rush of ice came from his left, and a blast of heat came from his right. Izuku dived into a roll and the attacks clashed, blowing shards of ice into the air. Pivoting, Izuku threw a hook punch, blowing a gust of wind that buffeted his opponents.

They retaliated with their own attacks and soon turned on each other, the three of them fighting between themselves in a flurry of ice, fire and wind until the last obstacle.

* * *

She was starting to regret coming to the festival.

Inko was sat in the guest box, watching as her little boy was thrown around by his childhood friend and another student. Izuku gave as good as he got, but she still flinched every time he took a hit. To stop herself from biting her lip, she gripped her arms tightly.

The crowd cheered as the boys clashed again, the white and red haired boy tumbling out of the cloud they made.

" _Woah!_ " came Present Mic's voice. " _Those three are really going at it! What kind of students are in your class, Eraserhead?_ "

A dull and deep voice replied, one she had heard on the news several times in the past week. " _Those kids down there are determined in reaching their goal. Up until now they have been working together, learning together, but today is the chance for them to stand out and make a name for themselves. They're giving it everything they've got._ "

It was odd seeing what type of person her son had become. The change happened so fast, in less than a year, and he had gone from a nervous wreck to someone fighting against villains. On the one hand, she was proud. His success filled her with warmth, and to finally see him bloom as a person assured her that he was going to be okay in his future life.

On the other hand, however, she feared for his safety. If he became just as brash as his father, then he would end up with more injuries than she could handle. She already teared up whenever she saw the scar on his arm, which he reluctantly told her came from a villain with metal claws. He had a far away look in his eyes when he told her that story and she knew right then that his innocence had left him. What would other injuries take from him?

It was selfish, she knew, the part of her that didn't want him to change. If she could have kept the boy who hugged her that day, the boy with hope in his eyes, she would have.

Another roar of cheers drew her back to the screen. " _And another clash as they near the final obstacle! Will they continue their three way battle after they find out what lies in the ground? Or will they charge through and risk losing it all?!_ "

Inko gripped her arms tighter. It shocked her to see how easily Katsuki was willing to attack Izuku. The two had known each other since they could walk, and there were days when they refused to be seperated. Now Inko wasn't an idiot, she knew that her son got bullied, and the scorch marks could only lead to one person. However, she didn't know just _how_ much Katsuki hated her son. Itsuki mustn't have known either, because Inko knew she wouldn't stand for it.

" _It looks like the other students have started to finish the canyon! It won't be long before they catch up to the leaders! This race is really heating up!_ "

She hoped Toshi came back soon. If she was this nervous in the first event, she dreaded to think what she'd be like in the next.

* * *

By now they had fallen into a pattern. They attacked each other every few metres, enough to push each other back, but leaving themselves enough energy to finish the race. They knew it was coming when one of them took their eyes off the path and, like a trigger was pulled, they struck simultaneously.

Izuku knew it wasn't getting them anywhere. They still kept pace and they were tough enough to shrug off the damage.

Knowing an attack wasn't coming, Izuku looked forward and saw the stadium growing ever closer. However, he realised the ground in front was becoming bumpy with what looked like freshly dug mounds.

He stumbled as something jagged struck his back and he tripped over his own legs, rolling along the floor until he came to a stop. When he looked up, Kacchan and Todoroki were a good distance ahead.

Gritting his teeth, Izuku stood and with a _push_ he launched himself at the two, reaching out and tackling them to the ground.

He vaguely heard a click and his vision was filled with pink. His grip on the two vanished as they were thrown away by the blast, Izuku himself flying forwards.

He hit the ground hard, scraping some skin off his forearms. It stung and he felt some grit enter the wounds, but he looked up, checking for his rivals. They were recovering the same as him, shaking their heads and propping themselves up on their knees, one foot ready to push off the ground.

Their eyes met over the new distance between them. Fading pink smoke drifted by. They looked at the ground, then back at each other.

Izuku crossed his arms and dove onto the ground, feeling it depress beneath him. His world filled with pink again as his body was shot into the air. When he cleared the cloud he saw Kacchan out-flying the explosions, keeping pace with Todoroki who traversed on a path of ice. Right now, Izuku was behind, but he had a plan.

Thinking of Usagi-chan, he stopped channeling One For All. He felt his stomach rush upwards as he reached the apex of his flight, quickly turning it into a nosedive.

 _Please let this work!_

He reached for his internal dial. Then cranked it up to full.

 _There's no reason to be cautious any more! There's only a straight line left!_

The ground grew closer and he felt the current starting to run through his body. It was like a truck trying to force its way through a tube, his previous power output only leaving a small opening.

It felt like his insides were burning as he forced the power through.

 _Just reach my legs! It's all I'll need!_

He got closer.

 _Come on!_

Like a dam had burst, his body was flooded with power, static flicking off his body.

His foot met the floor.

And he shot forward.

The world became a blur, stretching before his eyes. He felt sick and his head ached as it struggled to process the sensations he was feeling. Blood rushed in his ears. His heart stampeded in his chest. His rapid footfalls echoed in his body.

Light glowed as the stadium came closer and he knew he had to slow down, but there was a part of him that didn't want to let the power go. Regardless of his thundering head, he felt _invincible_.

He berated himself on the thought. No, he wasn't invincible. He was lucky. Gifted with a powerful quirk. A quirk he wanted to use for others. If he was invincible, he wouldn't have gotten his scar.

Tape brushed against his stomach and the power cut off. The sudden stop shot him forward, lifting him off his feet as he flew into a wall.

There was a wave of sympathetic 'ooh's and he could hear the shouting of some nearby people as the world slowly came back into focus. When it did, his eyes were met with the score board, his name in first place followed by Kacchan's and Todoroki's.

A couple of medics hoisted him up. His legs felt like jelly, dangling uselessly as they dragged along the floor. He felt exhausted, but one thought repeated itself.

 _I did it, Kacchan!_

* * *

After the explosive finish, the students who arrived below the threshold were sent away. After that, Recovery Girl took to the field, handing out gummies and checking on injuries, stopping by Izuku once to give him an exasperated shake of the head before she healed his wounds and gave him some gummies.

When everyone was fully recovered, Midnight took to the stage.

"Congratulations to those who passed the first stage!" The crowd cheered in agreement. "Now, I'm sure you're all excited for the next event!" She walked over to a newly built sign covered by a tarp. She grabbed the rope connected to it. "It will be - " She ripped off the cover and murmurs rose as people read it to themselves, excitement building as they finished the sentence.

Midnight signalled to the sign with a flourish. " **CITY TEAM BATTLE ROYALE!** "

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you for reading!

I really wanted to make this chapter longer, but I found switching perspectives to be clunky and it turned into needless padding that took away the pacing of a race. At the start, I was thinking of having a different first event, but I realised an obstacle course is the fairest way for the kids to compete, since not everyone has combat quirks. Instead, the first test is to determine a students' athleticism, something necessary in hero work. Any way, I didn't really like this chapter, as it was quite difficult to write something more than just 'they went forward'.

However, next chapter will be the Team Battle Royale! It will be in the same style as the USJ battle, with switching perspectives and dynamic fights that will often clash, so I hope you're looking forward to it!

I apologise for the shortness of this chapter, but I thank you all for the continued support. From now on, I'll be responding to all reviews using that little speech bubble thing. You all deserve it, so if you have any question I will answer them, unless the information will have spoilers.

Thank you all for reading, and I look forward to your feedback!

Side note: Do you think I should update the summary to include more information? Whether it be clarification of the plot, or notes such as (slow build Izuku). I think a lot of people come into this fic expecting an OP Izuku right from the start, since a bunch of people drop off after his underwhelming fight with Katsuki. Maybe they just don't like mopey!Izuku at the start. Anyway! Till next time!

oh and I'm going to be starting my first shot at a romance story, which I'm writing in bits around this, so if you like my work look for that. And I have a little magic au oneshot/drabble series I update semi-regularly called 'No Matter What' .


	13. Prepping

**I'm thinkin I'm back.**

* * *

Silence. Midnight's words settled in the air. Eyes were drawn to the board, _10,000,000_ staring back. They quickly looked away, some turning to their friends in excitement, others looking at the students below. The students themselves were looking at one person who didn't take his eyes away from the tremendous number. Lit up, digital fireworks travelling along their preset pixels, _10,000,000_ looked like it was having the time of its life.

The exact opposite of how Izuku was feeling. There was a pressure on his shoulders. It tensed his muscles and sent spasms to his heart. His throat had closed, his lungs screaming. He was suffocating, drowning, crushed. The maelstrom was hauntingly familiar. It fell over him on the old playground, in the corridors, in class. Eyes piercing, stares judging.

"The students will have thirty minutes to get as many points as they can!"

He felt pathetic, more so than usual. It wasn't thirty minutes since he aimed for number one, his resolve steel. Now he was regretting it. He was remembering why he didn't talk, why he missed answers he knew on tests, why he hunched in on himself. He burned in the spotlight.

"In addition to the headbands, students will be given 'capture tape' to neutralise an opponent and eliminate them from the match!"

Spiteful words from his only friend's mouth, being called useless everyday. He eventually started believing it. _Deku_ was stained on his soul. Why else would everything he tried end in failure?

"If a headband is taken, it can be reclaimed! However, if even one of your team is eliminated, you will all be knocked out! So, form your teams!"

 _Deku. Deku. Deku._ Kacchan's snarl echoed in his mind. _Deku. Deku. Deku._ Izuku's voice had joined, taking over. _Deku. Deku. Deku._ His mother joined in, lying in the hospital bed. _Deku._ He was screaming. _Deku._ _ **Deku**_ _._ _ **Deku**_ -

"Deku-kun?"

He was breathing too slow. Or was it too fast? _10,000,000_ wobbled back and forth, as if he was jumping forwards and backwards at the same time. The audience warped, dripping together into watercolour on a black canvas. Black dots sparkled like the sun bouncing off the ocean.

"Deku-kun?!"

Was he falling? Someone was holding his shoulders' shoulders, as if he was beneath three layers of himself yet so far into the sky. The back of his head felt like it was looking down at the stadium. He placed his hands upon the anchors.

"What's wrong, Deku-kun?"

He said something, he wasn't sure what, but her face was becoming clearer.

"Okay, Deku-kun."

Darkness was something strange. It didn't disappear, it didn't fade, it just suddenly _wasn't_. The audience had unwarped, the black spots shrank, he could hear again. The swell of incoherence that came from a talking crowd surrounded him. He could hear the gallop of his heart. Too fast.

It was that moment he knew he had a panic attack. And, like the other times in his life, he couldn't remember what was going through his head, like someone had scribbled over the film reel that was his memory. He slowed his breathing, counting to three and back, three and back.

"Are you okay, Deku-kun?"

"I'm fine," he said shakily. He tightened his grip, his focus point. "Thank you, Uraraka-san."

He studied her face. She didn't believe him, but forced a smile. "It's no problem, Deku-kun. I should get Recovery Girl to check you over." She made to move.

"No!" She stopped, startled. "I don't… I don't want to be disqualified."

"You looked really bad, Deku-kun. You're still sweating."

He shook his head, looking down as guilt stabbed his heart, stopped by a wall of stubborness. "I'll be fine. I just need a few seconds. Please…"

Uraraka frowned, but said nothing. For the next thirty or so seconds he avoided her gaze as his mind came into focus. Bit by bit he was becoming aware of how close she was. He could feel the tightness in his neck that made him stutter. His hands had been holding hers the entire time. They were soft.

He made a strangled noise and flinched back, holding his hands behind him. "Deku-kun?" She leaned in.

"I-I f-fine! Just, you know, hot?"

Apparently his blundering put her at ease. She shielded her eyes and looked up. "I know what you mean. You'd think they'd have some kind of roof over this thing. But I guess we'll be in the city soon anyway."

Relief flooded his body. "We?" he asked.

"Of course," Uraraka said, beaming. "We're friends, so we should stick together, right?"

The pressure didn't feel as heavy now; someone was there to help him along. His chest warmed and he felt his cheeks turn upwards into a smile. "Right!" he replied.

They agreed to find Iida but, before they could set off, Ojiro approached, an amiable smile on his face. "Yo, Midoriya-kun!" Izuku hoped he didn't notice his poor condition. "So, you're teaming up with Uraraka-san. Guessing you're going to get Iida-san, too?" They nodded. "Do you mind if I join?"

The analytical part of Izuku's brain was questioning why these two would be so quick to join him. If they managed to secure the headband, all of them would be in the final round, however if they were to take it from him the result would be he same. As much as he hated it, Izuku was the key to success for everyone around him. So why would they team up with him? Did the label of 'friend' really mean that much? So much that they would risk everything?

Then it struck him. He never had a true friend before. Before their quirks, he and Kacchan were friends, at least as far as he could remember. Izuku followed his friend wherever he went, did what he was told, gave what was that wasn't friendship, was it? This was.

"That… That'll be great, Ojiro-kun!"

The tailed boy smiled further and made a fist. "Let's show them what we're made of, pupil!"

"Yes, Sensei!"

His breathing and heart had settled down, but Uraraka still hovered close, making him blush. Evetually, they found iida, standing tall with his hands on his hips. His eyes were drawn to the _10,000,000_ on the board. Izuku gulped and approached him.

"Hey, Iida-kun."

In his usual snappy movement, he turned, flashing them a beaming smile and almost clocking Izuku in the face. "Greetings, friends! Are you ready to pit our wills against our peers?"

"That's what we came here for, Iida-kun," Ochako said. "Want to team up with us?"

Iida's smile dimmed. "I am afraid I won't be doing that, friends."

"Eh? Why not, Iida-kun?"

He looked back to the board. "Because I need to prove to you I am capable of being by your sides." He looked back to them, the sun gleaming off the edge of his glasses. "Every time we have faced a challenge I have run away. At the entrance exams, at USJ." He and Izuku locked eyes. "So today I will show you that I can stand my own ground."

Izuku couldn't look away. An unspoken challenge, something Izuku had become familiar with Kacchan, but lacking the usual animosity. It was good-sported. A friendly rivalry.

Izuku could understand where Iida was coming from. For so long he had run away from his quirk and the fragile world around him. Now that he was facing it all, Izuku had undergone more changes than he could count. He still stuttered, the panic attacks still lingered under the surface, and he was still scared of throwing a punch, even when he knew he had control.

But from it he had gained friends, found out who his father was, fixed the broken relationship between him and his mother, and he believed he could live his dream of saving others.

So, he smiled. "Okay, Iida-kun. Good luck out there."

"You too, Midoriya-kun, Uraraka-san, Ojiro-san." He nodded and walked off to Todoroki's group, who were talking quietly between themselves.

Uraraka deflated. "I get the 'fated battle between men' thing, but we're still a person down. No one's gonna team up with us at this rate."

As if the universe was listening, it answered in the form of a pink blur. "Mi - do - ri~"

Izuku considered himself a fairly balanced person, and his quirk gave him unmatched strength, but not even those combined could stop the flying form of Ashido Mina colliding into him. They tumbled to the floor, kicking up dust as Izuku's brain tried to catch up to what exactly happened.

Only to be short circuited as Ashido shifted above him. _Soft_. The weight disappeared, but the phantom of her rather _developed_ body remained. Just how many times was his mind going to flip-flop today?

"Oh, sorry about that Midori!" He made some kind of noise. "Anyway, can you believe that Bakugo? I mean, you probably do since you seem to know him, but seriously, he's super mean!" How could someone speak so fast? Then again, he mumbled faster. "I was all like, 'can I join you guys?' and he was like: 'eff off raccoon eyes!'. Can you believe that? So I thought I'd team up with one of the best people I know! That's you, Midori! So, whaddaya say?"

He made some kind of noise.

"That's great! We're gonna rock this, right guys?"

Uraraka got caught in the pink whirlwind of energy that was Ashido Mina. She through a fist up. "Yeah!"

Ojiro was a bit more subdued with a half raised fist. "Yeah."

Izuku's hand twitched up into a thumb, followed by some strangled noise that vaguely resembled a rather insulting word, but everyone interpreted as an enthusiastic 'hell yeah!'.

The bus shook as it sped through the city. The teams were to be dropped off at different points, the windows of the bus blackened to keep the locations secret.

Izuku looked down at the headband in his hands as the rest of his team chatted away. Uraraka had become fast friends with Ashido, with Ojiro chipping in with the odd remark. It did wonders for Izuku's nerves as he tried to ignore the burning stares of Kacchan and Todoroki behind him.

The bus jolted to a stop.

"All right. Team Midoriya, you're up," came the voice of the driver.

Izuku took a deep breath and wrapped the bandana around his head. He didn't look back as they left the bus, afraid he'd lose his nerve. As soon as Ojiro stepped out, the bus sped off, leaving a trail of dust.

"Okay," chirped Ashido, "what's the plan?"

They were in the commercial district of the city, with fake billboards and signs on the buildings. They were all roughly five stories high, with a couple peaking two floors above the rest. Apart from that, there was no differentiation between building materials and window spacing, just templates. Izuku imagined the insides would be much the same as the mock battles.

There was one piece of information they lacked: their location. Without knowing where they were, he couldn't make a solid plan. He said as much to his friends.

"This is going to be tricky," Uraraka said.

"Our main strategy will be defense. If we can hide from the others then we'll win," Ojiro commented. Izuku nodded in agreement.

"So we're going to be bored out of our minds for the next thirty minutes?" Ashido said, sagging.

"I don't think we'll last ten minutes." Izuku's statement sunk in. "We have no idea what people's quirks are. They could be great at tracking, like Shoji-san."

"And there's the other threat too."

Izuku hummed. "Kacchan and Todoroki-san will be coming for us."

"Their quirks are super strong," Ashido said.

"Both of them can blast through any defense we could put up. If they find us, then we'll have no choice but to fight," Izuku said.

They shared a troubled, yet determined look. Uraraka broke the silence, putting her hand out. "Either way, we'll get into the next round no problem!"

Ashido grabbed Uraraka's hand. "That's right!"

Ojiro was next. "Plus Ultra?"

Izuku joined them and nodded.

Together, they shouted. "PLUS ULTRA!"

The klaxon sounded.

* * *

 **A/N:** Sorry about the long wait guys. Long term plans fell through, got a new job, the inevitable _stuff_ that always hits when you don't want it to. Know this is short and not what you're expecting, but I figured you guys needed _something_. I feel like my writing has improved slightly, but I couldn't keep this scene and the big battle in the same chapter, it just wouldn't click.

Regardless, you guys have been checking back, and the favourites and follows have kept coming. Just know I will finish this story. All the arcs are planned, the ending is pretty much written. And there will be more on the way, for real this time.

Thank you for reading and your continued support.


	14. The Battle Royal - 1

**BEGIN.**

It made Izuku stumble a little, hearing a booming robotic drone instead of the screech of Present Mic's voice. It sounded ominus, heavy. Windows rippled like water in its wake. His team took a second to recover before making a break for the nearest building. In the distance, the faint pops and bangs of Kacchan's quirk peppered the rising battle cries of other students.

"Okay," he began, "once we get inside we should-"

"Deku-kun! Down!"

He was tackled to the floor as something soared where his body had been. He vaguely noted his face and hands were stinging as he looked ahead. Another team had already found them. Pebbles rose around them and spun. Izuku's breath caught.

Pushing up, he ignored Uraraka's squeak as he adjusted her from his back and into his arms. His legs shot him behind a bus stop. Ashido and Ojiro had ducked behind a car as rocks and pebbles pounded the metal. Glops of _something_ came next, littering the ground. It was like it wasn't aimed at them at all.

"Everyone, don't touch that stuff! It's a trap!"

Something moved against him. "Um… D-Deku-kun…"

He looked down. Uraraka's face was red, her eyes looking anywhere but him.

"C-could you p-put me down?"

Then he remembered.

His heart burst, his eyes popped, his face set on fire, and he couldn't drop her fast enough. They were both a blushing mess, wishing the ground to swallow them up. Not in the same place though, that'd be too close.

"Gah! S-sorry!"

"No no, it's fine!"

"Oi!" Ojiro's voice brought them out of their awkward teenage stutter storm. "Any ideas?"

Izuku took a peek around the bus shelter. The enemy team were huddled in the alleyway, protected from being flanked. A ghostly looking girl was stacking more stony ammunition, while a person with an oddly shaped head was throwing gunk on the floor. The two other teammates were positioned low, but waiting.

The ghost girl fired another volley. Izuku hissed as he ducked back, getting caught in the shoulder. He was durable, but the surface area of the rocks was small enough to get through his thick skin.

Ashido took a chance and lobbed a glob of acid, getting a stone shot into her arm in response. She fell to the floor, clutching her bicep. "You okay, Ashido-san?" asked Ojiro.

"'M fine. Least I got 'em."

Izuku took another look and saw her acid sliding down the air itself, just in front of the alley. _What kind of quirk is that? Telepathy? Did the ghost girl stop it?_ _A frontal approach won't work._

"What are you thinking, Deku-kun?"

"I-I think I have an idea."

His team had the range disadvantage, but they had more power. Another volley thundered against the metal like war drums. Dents were starting to show.

"Ojiro-kun. We're going over them, attacking from above. Ashido-san, please cover us! Uraraka-san, you need to get as close as possible. Distract them."

She nodded back at him, determined in that way that definitely didn't make his heart flip. "I'll follow your lead, Deku-kun!"

"Let's kick their ass!" Shouted Ashido, pumping her good arm.

"From above? Sounds crazy," said Ojiro.

"They have some kind of forcefield, enough to stop our ranged attacks. I think we can either crack it, or go above it."

"Sounds good, pupil." Ojiro was smirking. Izuku had to return it.

Another volley. "Everyone ready?" They nodded. "Go!"

Ashido slid forward, weaving from side to side as she made for another car. Uraraka jogged forward, picking up rocks and throwing them back as she made for more cover. Izuku met up with Ojiro and, together, they slipped around the side of the car.

Uraraka ducked under a glob, drawing closer. Ashido was grinning, spinning and whipping her arms and legs as she danced along the street, acid flying and catching rocks in the air. Izuku edged his way along, low and desperately wishing he didn't have such poofy hair. If it gave him away he would never show his face again. He looked behind to see Ojiro settling into position, his tail ready to push off the floor.

They exchanged a nod.

"Ojiro-kun, now!"

"Bondo!"

Izuku pushed off his legs as Ojiro did, but he was snapped back to the ground. "What?!" he looked down. His foot was encased in the white goop that was all around. He looked up to see another fling onto his chest, pushing him over and pinning him to a lamppost. The smell of glue wafted upwards. _That's what it is!_

His eyes caught something eyes flying through the air: Ojiro.

A smile was on his face. He flipped once, twice and dropped, tail swinging.

"Shield!" the ghost girl shouted. Another student blew comically and izuku saw the air shift, then shatter.

Ojiro's tail was made of pure muscle. As thick as Ojiro's body, it packed a serious punch, something Izuku could personally attest to after an attack caught him during their spars. Whatever they could someone would stand no chance.

Ojiro landed perfectly, tail whipping behind him, swiping a general education student into a wall as he thrust his palm into Bondo's 'chin'.

The ghost girl raised some stones, only for them to fall as her sleeve sizzled away. "What?!"

Ashido slid in smoothly, no momentum lost, grin on her face. "That's for my shoulder," she said, spinning, leg trailing in a spinning kick that caught the other student in the side. "And that's for, uh, something."

Uraraka just ran up to the air guy and socked him one. A piece of tape later and the team was eliminated, slinking back to the starting area.

The girls cheered and Ojiro was looking pleased with himself. Izuku was starting to smell the saliva that was mixed in with the glue. He wanted out. _Now_. "U-um, Ashido-san, could you get me out of here?"

Ashido and Uraraka giggled at his state. "Well, Midori, look how much of a help you turned out to be! Guess I should help you out." Acid pooled at her fingers. "Just hope I'm gentle or your clothes could go along with that glue," she said with a wink.

"P-please don't!"

* * *

Eijiro knew Bakugo wasn't a patient person. Anyone within the same building knew that too. So when he flew off, leaving the rest of his team behind, Eijiro wasn't shocked. He did question how he was one of the top students in the class though.

"He's seriously too crazy," Sero muttered.

"What was he thinking, leaving us behind like this?!" Hagakure whined. "It's like he's forgot that if one of us goes down, we all fail."

Eijiro rolled his shoulders. "Then we'll just have to keep up."

They jogged after the sound of explosions, coming across scorch marks and shattered glass along the way. A couple of students were dazed on the floor. _It's like he doesn't even care about anything else_. Hagakure taped them up and eliminated them from the game.

"Think he's after Midoriya?" Sero asked, whipping from street light to street light.

"I think so. Whenever we talk the guy's brought up. It's a super manly rivalry!"

"Super stupid more like," Hagakure said, keeping up with them surprisingly well.

They cut through an alley into a main street and saw Bakugo standing still, palms at his sides, front open in his usual stance. It roared _come try me_! Eijiro noticed the staggered rise and fall of his friends' shoulders. He was winded.

On the other side of the street, a girl he had seen from 1B was standing with a shark like grin on her face, hands tucked into her green hair. "Well well, looks like the whole party's here."

Bakugo looked back for a second, only to have to dodge a fist that whistled past his head. "You extras are finally here. Guess you aren't completely useless after all."

"What a way to talk to your comrades! I knew you were an arrogant prick, but that takes the cake! I can't wait to wipe it off your face!"

"Shut it, Monoma! Your face is looking bad enough itself," shouted Kendo. She had a few scorch marks on her enlarged hands.

Tokoyami stood quietly at the side, Dark Shadow poised to strike.

"See, Bakugo-chan, you're worth a whole lot of points. Congrats, you're finally worth what you think you are. But we'll be having those."

"Like hell you will, bitch," Bakugo hissed through his teeth.

She laughed. "You're funny, Bakugo-chan. You see, the thing is…" Another fist flew by and nailed Sero in the jaw. "I already had you beat before they got here. Just cause I'm not in 1A, doesn't mean I'm not strong. I got in through recommendations you know."

The two stared each other down, Eijiro wondering who he would take on first. It looked like they were physical attackers, so his quirk should take him pretty far. Once he was in, he'd stay in, no matter what. The others weren't front liners like him.

Just as his legs tensed, Kendo staggered back with a grunt, then another as her hands shrunk and she clutched her stomach. It was then Eijiro realised Hagakure had gone missing. It was then he moved. He rushed Monoma and smiled when he saw Sero swinging towards Tokoyami.

"This was a bad choice, 1A!"

Eijiro got with two feet before he was pushed away. He hardened his back before he hit the ground, rolling with the momentum to meet a large fist smacking him in the face. Okay, maybe he should go full armour.

The next blow was a dull thud as he raised his arms in front of his face. He moved forward, pushing against another blow. There was no dodging. No room, no time.

Monoma's massive hand swiped at him like a paddle and Eijiro jumped forward, quickly closing the distance, a hardened fist going for the loudmouth's sternum. It clashed against rock. He looked at Monoma's smug face, his cheeks were sharp and _hard_.

He copied his quirk. And he had no trouble controlling it at all. And that made him _mad_.

The hardened skin disappeared and the large hands were back, pushing Eijiro away. Monoma didn't move. Neither did he. The past swirled through his mind, murky memories of being useless poking and prodding the embers of his anger. The times he was laughed at, the times he was wishing he could just be _better_. The time when Ashido made him realise what being a hero really meant.

He put tears, sweat and blood into training his quirk. It was two months before UA when he finally managed a full manifestation of his quirk. And this smug bastard had done it in seconds.

"What's the matter, 1A? Why aren't you moving? Scared I'll beat you down again?"

Eijiro chuckled. "You know," he said, fists clenching as a fire roared in his body. Was this what Bakugo felt when he got mad? "I hate people like you."

He took a step and Monoma threw a fist. Eijiro met it with one of his own. Blood spattered as skin met skin, Monoma's fingers being torn. "People who laugh at those they think are below them."

Monoma snarled. "You seem to follow that jerk." He swiped.

Eijiro clashed again. "He ignores people, true, but he judges you based on your actions. But this isn't about him!" He yelled and sprinted in full armour, striking at the hands that tried to stop him.

Soon enough, they were a flaky mess, blood trickling from his fingers and palms. "This is about me and you!" Eijiro's fist was stopped by hardened skin again, but Monoma's eyes were panicked.

"And the fact that you can use my quirk so easily…" They clashed and swung, both clumsy, sparks flying. Until he grabbed Monoma's collar and smiled viciously. "Really pisses me off!" he hit the smug bastard's cheek, sparks flying from his knuckles. "You don't know the journey people take to push their quirks higher! You don't know the pain we go through!" Another strike. "You just get it!"

Another hit.

"And that makes you weak." He finished the dazed boy with a manly headbutt. For effect. "Word of advice: be less of a bully. Get some sympathy."

He wrapped the tape around his ankle and the team was buzzed out. He looked around the street to find Bakugo breathing hard, a bruise on his eye. The green haired girl was still smiling. Kendo was on the defensive, eyes scanning as the buzzer finally reached her senses. She sagged a moment later and sat down. Sero was thrown into a car, but was somehow still smiling.

"Well I guess it's over then. Shame, I was enjoying watching you dance, Bakugo-chan. Next time I'll get you for sure." Her arms popped off and glided under Monoma, lifting him up and carrying him with his group. "Good job, Kirishima-kun." At least that sounded genuine.

"Good fight, Sero-san," said Tokoyami.

"Sure…" Eijiro could _feel_ his friends' exhaustion.

Another minute and they were gone. Bakugo was rooted to the spot. "Yo, Bakugo-san, you good?"

"Why'd you stop it?"

"Eh?"

"Why'd you stop the fight?!" He was in Eijiro's face. He backed away with his hands up, skin involuntarily hardening at the bloodlust of his 'friend'. "I had that!"

"Cause we need to win! If we just go looking for fights we'll get worn down and eventually slip up!"

"But-"

Sero and Hagakure looked on in shock as Eijiro grabbed Bakugo by the collar. "No buts! You might wanna be number one or some shit, but we wanna be up there too! So suck it up and stop whining!"

Bakugo's eyes smouldered into him, but Eijiro's fire hadn't gone down in the slightest. Neither backed down. He didn't know how long they were staring each other down, but Bakugo eventually tutted and pulled away.

"Fine, but don't go getting captured. If you extras fuck this up for me, I'll kill you!"

* * *

"Iida-san!"

Yaoyorozu's voice rang clear through the wind in his ears. For the past five minutes, the battlefield had been a blur, his team being dropped right into the thick of the fighting. The constant dodges he had to perform took him back to the thundering storm zone, where villains tried their best to pin him down. He had to remind himself that his life wasn't at risk right now.

A smooth curve of ice materialised in front of him and he slammed the breaks, using the sheet to sharply turn back on his attackers. When his front foot hit the ground, he fired up again, never changing gear. He zoomed past the leader of another team and snatched their headband.

This had been going on for some time, and Iida would have never kept up his top gear of speed without Todoroki. If he wanted to use a crude analogy, he would say her was like a pinball, skirting and bouncing around the combat zone as it ever so slowly turned into Todoroki's own icy domain. Yaoyorozu was kind enough to make everyone a jacket.

All too suddenly, the sounds of fighting ceased, and through blurry tunnel-visioned eyes, Tenya could see his opponents slunking off in defeat. That meant he had to slow down. A few laps should do it.

One, two, three, four.

The fire in his calfs cut off with a sizzle. He still had some juice left to see his team through to the end.

"A commendable job, Iida-san," Yaoyorozu said as they reconvened.

Tenya nodded and bowed as he was taught to do. "No, it was through everyone's efforts that we were able to succeed. I thank you Todoroki-san for the boost."

"It was nothing," came the soft reply. Kaminari was looking a little out of it, but his faculties looked to be coming back slowly. Todoroki was staring into the distance, at something only his mid could see.

"Regardless," Tenya said, adjusting his slightly askew glasses, "we must be off, before more arrive."

"Un," was the reply he got from his team leader.

The city was far larger than he thought. The entrance exam was a blur in his memory, but he was certain it had never been this big. Some adjustments had to be made. As they made their way through deserted streets, the quiet drilled its way into Tenya's mind. He could hear the faint chime of wind glide through windowless cars; hear the scrapes of his team's boots; hear the cries of others locked in battle.

Ten minutes had passed since the start of the battle. The numbers were getting thinner, the fighting became less. The points up for grabs were whittling by the minute. Luckily, they could just wait the rest of it out, but he knew none of his team wanted that. They wanted to be first, number one, and that meant only one thing: Midoriya would have to go down.

Going up against his friend was by no means a pleasant task, but Tenya had made up his mind ever since he saw the green-haired boy walk into the class. He was a measuring stick to a lot of people in 1A, and an obstacle to others, mainly Todoroki and Bakugo.

His heroism saved Eraserhead from death, and his drive pushed Tenya to do what was necessary, clearing the doubt from his mind. His presence inspired people. It was Tenya wanted to do, what his brother _could do_.

As fast as he was, he always felt like he was trying to catch up to everyone around him. When he would steal the headband from Midoriya, he would finally meet his friend at the starting line. Then they'd set off into the world of heroics together, side by side.

That was Tenya's hope.

 _ **THUMM**_

The earth quaked. Tenya spread his legs as the tremor passed and noticed a plume of dust flying into the air before drifting lazily in the wind.

He checked on his team to find Todoroki _glaring_ at the plume. The show of emotion was enough for tenya to guess who was at the centre of it.

"That's Midoriya-kun, isn't it?"

Todoroki said nothing, but strode towards the destruction and the approaching pops of explosions.

"Woah, woah, let's not be too hasty, yeah?" Kaminari said nervously. "We don't _need_ to go after him you know. There's still others left."

"I think our course has been decided," Yaoyorozu nodded to the dual quirk user who was starting to form a path of ice to the top of the buildings, giving them a straight line to the action.

"Easy for you guys to say! My quirk's strong, but it ain't flashy like you guys! I can't go toe to toe with those powerhouse freaks!"

"Kaminari-san." Tenya adjusted his glasses again. He really needed something to keep them in place better. "If you want to stop, you can. I won't force you to continue. I just wonder what you'll think of yourself after all this is over." he walked to the ice ramp. "I'm here to prove myself to my classmates and my family, and nothing will stop me from moving forward.

"So, Kaminari-san, what are you fighting for?"

They left him after that, Yaoyorozu looking conflicted. There was a tense silence for all of ten seconds.

"Ah, fine! You know what, screw it! If I'm going down it'll be in a shower of sparks!" he ranted as he stormed past. Before they reached the top of the building, Kaminari looked Tenya in the eyes and pointed. "And I'll blame you for it, prez!"

Tenya just smiled in return. "I'll be sure to file all the necessary responsibility paperwork, Kaminari-san!"

"You better! Now let's get going. Half cold half hot is way ahead."

* * *

They'd been hidden for a while. No one had found them yet, so they watched as the chaos of conflict rose from the streets below. Ashido was trailing her finger along the dust covered ground, Ojiro was fiddling with his tail and Deku was looking intently through the window, eyes flicking left and right.

She was just spying on everyone.

Conversation was light at first, with Ashido complaining about how many stairs they climbed and Ojiro adding his own quiet teasing. Deku was muttering for a minute before he took Ashido and had her weaken some of the floors with her acid. When the concrete crumbled, it would give Ochako some ammunition to do _something_ with.

A buzz and the changing of scores silenced another fight. "It's getting quieter," Deku said, thumb to his lips.

"Think we'll be safe here?" Asked Ojiro, coming up to look out the window.

"Hard to tell," he murmured. "We'll just have to wait and see."

And that was the worst part, the waiting.

Slowly, their eyes drifted to the city below, each watching, barely breathing. It was like USJ, where she, Koda and Momo were tucked away, waiting for the fighting to stop. Too dangerous to move, to scared to act. Her heart hammered.

Something shook the building from below and they turned to the doorway. One of the floor traps had been triggered. Then another. Then another. Everything was shaking. "Deku-kun?"

"We meet them head on. With how many pitfalls they've triggered they have to be winded. I'll take up the front. Ojiro-kun, stick behind us."

They crept their way through the dusted halls of concrete. The stale smell stuck to her nose, the scuffing of shoes pierced her ears as she strained her senses to find something. Light peaked through doorways, catching drifting particles in the air.

And then she was falling.

"Uraraka-san!"

A shriek.

"Ashido-san!"

"Ojiro-kun, where'd you go?!"

She hit the ground hard. Hands grabbed her ankles and she yelped, kicking and squirming as she reached for the person dragging her closer. If she could remove his weight then -

Tape was working its way around her ankle.

"No!"

She kicked forward and hit the person's thumb. No sound was made, but her attacker let go and she scrambled back until she hit a wall. The world came back into focus. It wasn't dark, but she was a lot lower in the building than she was before. Another student was covered in shadow, clutching capture tape in one hand and looking at his disfigured thumb.

Ochako's stomach curdled. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to do that, I was just really scared and…" The boy did nothing, said nothing. Then he was gone. "What?"

Something brushed the back of her hair and she swung around with a fist. Nothing. _What is this quirk?_

Something collided with her and she was sent to the floor. Her fingers closed around the person holding her down and she activated her quirk. She had him!

Tucking her legs under his body, she pushed him off towards the ceiling. Then he sank into it, coming out from the wall behind her. The pieces clicked together. _He can move through shadows._ The dread that washed over her at discovering such a powerful quirk was quickly drained away when she saw him drifting aimlessly down the corridor, eyes vacant, arms stretching for her with no direction. Was he a zombie too?!

" **People like you know nothing of what people with quirks like mine go through!** "

That came from above.

* * *

Mina was quick to recover from being pulled through a wall, all things considered. Finding her centre of gravity as she was thrown through the air, she caught herself on her hands and sprang onto her feet. Only a slight stumble. The judges scored a seven.

Shoji didn't score her anything.

"Surprised to see you here, big guy. I thought we would've heard you for su-"

He swung at her and hit. She flew back into a wall, ears ringing and teeth aching. Her stomach was quickly numbed to the blow as adrenaline kicked in. she wiped away a bit of spittle that came out. "Don't wanna talk? That's fine by me!"

If he wanted rough, she'd give him rough. She flicked her fingers out, scattering acid towards Shoji. He shielded himself with his arms, just as she hoped. She skated around to his side and landed a kick to his ribs. He grabbed her leg and hoisted her up with ease. His dead eyes pierced into her own and she knew she was in trouble.

Before she could say another word she was thrown again. This time she went straight through the window, glass cracking, shattering, ringing as her stomach lurched. How many stories up were they? Would she feel it before she hit the floor and her brains scattered across the pavement. Thirteen's cracked helmet flashed before her eyes.

She grunted as her back hit the concrete, bouncing her into a roll that scraped her arms and cut into her uniform. She fell for a shorter time than she thought.

When her stomach settled and the world came back into focus, she saw the window she was thrown through a story above. She'd landed on another building's roof. She choked back a sob.

Shoji jumped across, using his arms to brace his fall. Mina stood up and raised her fists. She didn't bother talking anymore. She had to beat his ass for scaring her like that!

She launched her acid. He either dodged it or swiped it to the side. She skirted around him, trying different angles, making sure she didn't slide off the roof, keeping her eyes out for his sweeping arms.

 _Come on Mina, think! Use that dumb brain of yours for something! I can't take him head on and strong acid isn't an option. The guy's a tank!_

She ducked under another swipe and slid back from the rest of his arms. Shoji stumbled from his swing, something she'd never seen before.

 _Is he top heavy? It makes sense, but he's never been off balance before. And now that I'm lookin' at him._ She threw another glob. _His form's really off._ She smirked viciously, orange eyes glinting.

"Ready or not, Shoji, here I come!"

She danced behind him and slid in close. As he swung around, she dropped low, using her hands and feet to slip around him again. Cutting off her acid, she transferred to her hands. He turned, she swung her legs.

And his base fell out from beneath him.

He fell hard as Mina stepped away. He didn't even try to stop his fall, making the back of his head bounce and knock him unconscious. Something was wrong with him before they even started the fight.

She was approaching him when the side of their hideout exploded, concrete and dust kicking into the air.

 **THUMM**

* * *

It was easy to dispatch of the person who muffled him and dragged him away. Mashirao could tell immediately the guy had no combat experience and that his reaction time was far less than most people. A hit with his tail and the student was down. Where he'd been taken, or where Midoriya was, was something he was still trying to figure out.

He was running through the corridors when he heard the pitter-patter of feet coming towards him. Very fast. Too fast!

He raised an arm and felt a foot bounce off it. He put his guard up and stopped a punch aimed right for his temple. _What's happening? I can't see them! Wait…_

"Hagakure?" he felt the kick coming and leaned back, feeling a breeze flitter by. He returned with a roundhouse kick and followed through with a tail swipe. Nothing. She either backpedaled far or…

 _Crap, above!_

He crossed his arms above his heat and winced when a pointed knuckle buried into his muscle.

He turned and stepped back, guard raised. Nothing came. No noise. "I thought there was something different about you during the USJ. You took those guys down quick, and the villains we passed on the way down…"

The subtle scrape of toes leaving floor.

His hip shot out a side kick that connected with her stomach. He knew it hurt, but she didn't even grunt. "You're better than you let on."

"We'll see."

What came next was a flurry of punches, some he redirected, others he blocked. The ones that hit against his arms hurt like hell, the knuckles digging deep. I was like she practiced makiwara every day. A blow finally slipped through his guard and hit his stomach. If he wasn't used to his sister smacking him up and down the dojo he would have crumbled. But it did offset him enough to take a palm to the jaw, slamming his teeth together.

 _She really isn't holding back!_

He had to retaliate, she was too fast for him. He threw a jab to test his range and blocked her counter attack. Another jab. He shuffled forward, testing, throwing low kicks and brushing by her ankles. He whipped his hand out again and his fingers felt hair.

 _There!_

He followed with a hook to her body and a kick to her leg. She checked the kick and brushed by his side. Not a chance. His tail whipped around and puched he back in front of him, where he continued his assault.

She kept up well, taking hits and weaving around others. Their fight became more and more about how many hits they could take. Their arms were growing weary, their feet moving less and less. And then she vanished. Not a trace remained.

He coiled his tail and readied his battered arms.

And the roof exploded.

 **THUMM**

The ensuing dust showed Hagakure darting around a corner. He didn't have it in him to follow. They fought to a stalemate.

* * *

Izuku gritted his teeth as his team was picked off one at a time. Whoever was attacking knew their strength lay in their numbers. It also meant he would have to choose who to help first and that would take him far away from the others. So he continued forwards, edging his way down the corridor. A window shattered. He turned.

He entered one of the big rooms that was on every floor. The same kind of room he punched Kacchan through. There was only one way in and out, not counting the windows. Izuku knew he could survive the fall if things got really bad. Boots scraped in the doorway.

Izuku willed the tension out of his body. The person who followed was a tired looking boy with wild purple hair. He looked disinterested with the whole situation, but Izuku could see a glint in his eyes.

"This was easier than I thought it'd be," he said. "I'll be taking that head band."

Quirks were always the mystery factor. Hwikst izuku was extremely durable to blunt force, the guy could have something that could easily pierce his skin. Izuku cocked back an arm for an air blast.

"Think you can stop me?"

Izuku frowned. "I know I ca-"

And Izuku was no more.

The boy's voice came as if izuku was trapped under water. "And just like that you're finished."

He couldn't move. He couldn't think. Something had weaved its way through his mind and pushed it all apart only for something else to take its place.

"For all that muscle, for all the flashiness of your quirk, you're nothing."

 _Honestly, boy, you need to stop getting yourself into situations like these. You shouldn't hesitate. As soon as he showed his mug you should have blasted him away. He's like a twig!_

 _I don't want to hurt anyone!_

 _And that's been your problem. You know your safe limit, why not use it?_

 _Because…_

 _Because you think too much. Listen, we'll help you out this time, but don't expect it to happen for too much longer. And I'll give you a hint: don't be obsessed with the 'off switch'._

 _What?_

"You know, my whole life people have called me a villain. Because of my quirk. A brainwasher. They didn't do anything wrong, it was me who made them do it. They used me as a scapegoat!

"And then there's people like you who have it all. With a quirk like All Might's I'm sure you were popular, never shunned for being born."

Power crackled in Izuku's fingers.

"Well I'll show them. I'll use this quirk to become a hero, to save people. My first step is beating you. The next step is the hero course. So, take off your headband and give it to me."

Izuku complied, ripping off his points and walking up to his captor, who held out his hand with a smile. Izuku's other hand flexed slightly.

 _You're wrong. This quirk of yours is strong. I won't let you fall down the same hole I did!_

He forced his arms behind him and flicked his finger. The air was still, then it _wasn't_. It boomed, it whipped, it forced its way through concrete and slammed upwards. Rock crumbled and light bathed the room.

And Izuku could feel again. The brainwasher frowned.

" **People like you know nothing of what people with quirks like mine go through!** "

"Your wrong! If a quirk that hurts people like mine can become heroes, you can too! It's not the quirk that makes you, it's _you_!"

He sped forward and grabbed the boy's arm, wrapping tape around his wrist. "I'm sorry about what happened to you. If I had longer I'd talk to you more."

"Whatever." With that, he walked off.

Izuku didn't know he was holding his breath. "That was intense…"

"Deku-kun!"

"Uraraka-san!"

"Down here!" From the shadows she slowly came into view, drifting upwards. He pulled her in when she reached his level and she released her quirk. "Thanks, Deku-kun," she said with a smile.

He smiled wobbly. "N-no problem." Then he noticed he was still holding her arm, and she was burning! He whipped his arm away, kicking up dust behind him. Was he burning? Why was it so hot?!

"Deku-kun, are you okay?"

"F-fine! W-we should find the others."

"You won't have to look far."

"Ojiro-kun! What happened?" His sensei was limping slightly, a couple of bruises on his face. Whoever took him away must have been skilled.

He groaned and stretched his neck. "Hagakure happened."

"Hagakure-chan?" Uraraka said, inspecting Ojiro's battered body.

"I was surprised too, she got me pretty good."

"But where's Ashido-san?"

"GUYS!" That came from outside. "THERE'S AN ANGRY EXPLODING BLONDIE COMING THIS WAY!"

They rushed towards her voice and saw her on another roof with Shoji unconscious next to her. She noticed them at the window and pointed to the sky, where flashes of orange rocketed Izuku's rival forward. The air started to chill too.

"Oh no."

Across the way, ice bridges were being formed, carrying with them Todoroki's team. Their hiding plan had gone from bad to worse, to really really bad in seconds.

" **DEKUUU!** "

The orange was brighter, twisting, morphing. He could have sworn the fires made Kacchan's murderous grin. " **DIE!** "

He was moving before he knew it, dragging his friends along. "Get down!"

There was a small pop, then a massive bang. Everything shook, his eyes wobbled, his ears rang, and the ground crumbled beneath his feet. He lost his grip on the others and then he was falling, falling with rock and dust and screams.

* * *

 **AN:** Here it is, broken into two parts for easy digestion. The return begins. A few things to get off my chest first. Thank you to all those who either kept checking back to the story or those who read it and decided to follow. When I last checked this story had gotten over 100,000 views collectively, which is crazy considering it's been inactive for a year and a half.

I was working a night shift for a full year, and whenever I came back to write this chapter I never had the drive, then I moved country. To be honest, I got lucky people like this story, with as weak of a premise as it has. I forgot how I characterised everyone and I just couldn't start it no matter how hard I tried. But, I set out to make a shonen story, with all the crazy big fights and stupid reasoning included. So I'll do what I did before and just write it. This felt good to do, but I know it won't sound the same as the rest of the story. And that's okay.

Thanks for sticking with it. Next one will be up in four or so days. Depends how much Astral Chain I play.

Hope you enjoyed!


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